


Blurred and Cry

by encore_koscribbles



Category: Black Clover - 田畠裕基 | Tabata Yuki
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Black Bulls Squad as Family (Black Clover), Black Clover Manga Spoilers, Gen, Yuno is working very hard, asta inspires people just by being there, road to recovery, still adjusting tags, the meaning of family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:47:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 124,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24119014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/encore_koscribbles/pseuds/encore_koscribbles
Summary: Life was a series of coincidences. Encounters and partings were two sides of the same coin. For once, the boy with Weg finally felt a spark of relief, genuine happiness. It had been a while since he last felt this way.A story about Asta and Yuno separated from a young age (and then the people they would come across upon distant days).
Relationships: Asta & Black Bulls Ensemble, Asta & Everyone, Asta & Yuno (Black Clover), Finral Roulacase & Langris Vaude, Klaus Lunette & Mimosa Vermillion & Yuno, Sylph & Yuno (Black Clover)
Comments: 440
Kudos: 385





	1. The Boy's Vow

Far out into the boonies, a small village was built upon the land that was once settled by a certain tribe beloved by mana. Even though the winters might be cruel and there would be days without food, Hage was relatively a peaceful place to be.

It was a place peaceful enough for a small child to dream, after all, and perhaps one might have become two instead.

Except a certain winter night happened to not be peaceful, a truly unfortunate coincidence. It was quiet but laced in poison. The same night could have been the day where two orphans made their vow to see who would reach their dream and become someone great, but instead it got cut short with shock, despair, and utter loneliness.

The three leaves of the clover represented three things: faith, hope, and love.

The drunken man was a bit more cruel, a bit more desperate, and no one cared for those of the Forsaken Realm. It wasn’t that _everyone_ there was mean and cruel or anything. Most of the boonies were peaceful and hardworking. But then again, the Forsaken Realm was a place where most would turn a blind eye to. Those who were considered “evil” could do anything they wanted. Anything.

All of these coincidences happened to so cruelly pile on top of each other, so that night, little Yuno wondered if hope really existed. 

Were the three leaves even real?

Blood oozed on the snow before him. He stared ahead, eyes wet and the tip of his nose cold. It was freezing and dark and quiet. Yuno was lying on the ground, the left side of his face pressed against snow.

His breathing hitched. He couldn’t bear to blink, to close his eyes on this scene. The village’s streets were so, so empty.

It was snowing.

The drunken man had been a bit more cruel, a bit more desperate. Maybe he was just as empty, because there was no one there for him and he was unable to find anything for himself. Maybe. Sister Lily told him a lot about the weight of every living being. Everyone mattered.

At the same time, crimes should not be unaccused. They should find the root of the problem and work with one another to resolve it. Sister Lily had talked to them about it. Her kind eyes were soft and blue.

“... Asta,” his voice croaked. 

Yuno was weak.

He let the man take his necklace, and he was too weak to do anything about it.

He let the man take his necklace, and all he could do was to wallow in tears and cry. 

But Asta fought for Yuno when Yuno couldn’t fight for himself. Yuno gave up immediately, swallowed in frustration and sadness, when Asta jumped in without hesitating. 

Because of Yuno, Asta was gone.

The drunken man was involved in sketchy business. Even though he was not always involved in such business, only hearing a word or two of it and maybe a sentence more, that night, he finally got desperate. He gave up as well. 

Asta grabbed Yuno’s necklace. The man had his hands around the young boy’s neck.

The brat wouldn’t let go of the other brat’s fancy pendant. 

Why not just take the kid, too? 

Blood was oozing from his wound. Yuno stared at the ground ahead, red painted on snowy white. He coughed. He couldn’t move. His chest hurt.

Tears bubbled down his cheeks. 

“... As...ta.” 

Because of Yuno, Asta was gone. This was a universal fact.

The world suddenly darkened, and Yuno wondered if faith, hope, and love really existed. He wondered about the Magic Knights, the ones who were supposed to protect those of this kingdom. 

He wondered, and wondered, and the poor boy cried.

He cried and cried and cried, and since then…

Sister Lily noticed, the boy never cried again.

* * *

Magic was everything. The daily lives of this world’s inhabitants were mingled with the aspect of magic and mana. The book of spells, grimoires, guided all through their path of life. 

A few more years until he would receive his grimoire. The boy was very talented as he had the natural ability to grasp concepts easily, a very precious skillset indeed. In the near future, with proper guidance and preparation, Yuno would definitely be able to thrive as a member of his generation’s mages. 

That was what the adults of Hage’s church wanted to believe. 

Many years have passed since… That day. Nash was five now, mana of fire blessing his spirit, and Yuno, the eldest, was ten. More children have joined them as well, little Aruru and Hollo, their newest additions. 

At the front yard, Sister Lily spotted Yuno and Recca organizing the laundry. It was more just Yuno as Recca kept an eye on the smaller children, Aruru toddling around and Hollo on the eldest girl’s lap, but it was a peaceful sight to see. 

Yuno raised his hands. Tenderly but with much force, he called upon the mana and summoned wind. 

Such talent and pristine control. If only they had a proper teacher to help guide him.

Recca clapped her hands cheerfully as Yuno handled the now dry clothes. Setting them into the basket, the boy wiped away sweat that gathered because of summer heat. He was improving drastically in his control with magic. 

As someone who watched these children grow, Sister Lily couldn’t help but feel proud. It was truly a peaceful sight to behold.

… But at the same time, the nun couldn’t help but think back to _that day_ and _that child_.

Asta, the boy they all failed. 

Five years ago, Yuno’s hands were in tiny fists when Sister Lily tended to his injuries. The bruises and cuts could be healed swiftly with Water Recovery Magic, but the nun knew that the wound scarring his heart was something too much she could handle.

The night when Father Orsi and Lily found Yuno alone, pendant missing and eyes full of tears, they realized the implications immediately.

They sought help. The mayor, who Yuno delivered a letter to that night, tried to help.

None cared for those in the Forsaken Realm.

“Sister Lily,” blinking out of her thoughts, the nun quickly turned her attention to Yuno’s voice. The boy was standing in front of her, a basket of clean clothes in his arms. “The laundry is done… Is there anything else I may help with?”

_Hey, Sister. The Wizard King still exists, right?_

Smiling softly, she shook her head. “All of morning’s chores are done! We will be eating later. How about you go watch over the others?”

A short pause later, Yuno nodded curtly. Watching as he turned on his heel, running back to his siblings, the smile on Sister Lily’s lips slowly dipped into a frown.

He never smiled, you see.

_If I become someone important… If I become the Wizard King._

_I’ll be able to make everyone even happier, right?_

Just as he never cried again, Yuno never laughed or smiled as well.

There were rumors of sketchy businesses five years ago. What happened to Asta… It was undoubtedly linked to that. Even though the Magic Knights weren’t there to help, the folks in Hage joined forces to find clues, anything that could bring the young orphan back. They even got the support of Rayaka, a neighboring village full of passionate people.

Watching everyone move was so surprising and inspiring. It made the young nun wonder how it would be like if everyone was like this from the start, but the thought itself was painful.

Without a cause, there was no effect. The villagers were tired of the horrid treatment on their home and its people. The incident with the orphans of the kind church sparked a fuse that was waiting to be lit, and now that Asta was gone, guilt crashed in.

Asta, the boisterous child that kept his heart an open book. Asta, the boy whose bright smile would make you forget all frustrations buried within.

Asta, whose whereabouts were completely unknown. The last thing Yuno saw was the drunken man walking away with a hand around his brother’s neck. No matter how hard Asta struggled, a young child without hints of magic could never defeat a desperate grown man.

But they found the grown man.

_Asta was not dead._

_He was taken away, but not dead. He was not killed in cold blood, but he was still missing._

_Away from home. Away from safety._

_Holding tightly on Yuno’s pendant._

_“I will become the Wizard King.”_

There was a hard look in gold colored eyes. 

Sister Lily watched as Yuno showed the younger children a bit more of his magic, a small tornado forming in his palm. Nash looked very awestruck, and at that, the nun wondered how it would be like if the boy named Asta was still here. 

The scary part was that no one knew whether he was safe. Was he okay? Was he still...

Powerless villagers, out here in the boonies. 

_Please save our kid, Magic Knights who are supposed to protect the people of this country._

Sister Lily prayed. 

_“I will become the Wizard King_ ,” a five year old Yuno had stated. After days of crying, gold eyes became dry. It was heartbreaking, to hear the same words Asta said but stated in such a different way.

He vowed to find Asta, complete his dream, and make the world a better place to be.

He vowed, and everyone in Hage believed him.

It was the young boy’s promise, to himself and the world.

* * *

It was dark and scary, but he wouldn’t let the fear catch him. He couldn’t. Because he couldn’t, he yelled and screamed and thrashed. He tried his hardest to push away the pain and the bad feelings, this crushing sense of hopelessness and anguish. 

If he held on long enough, maybe the bad people would give up and leave him alone. Maybe he would truly become strong enough to not let go.

Maybe he would be able to go back home.

So he yelled. Louder. And louder.

And _louder._

_You’re going to get out. You’re going to be fine. You’re going to get back home in no time. With everyone, you'll be back with everyone again._

_You’ll be back._

_You’ll be fine._

_You have to be._

_Because… Because…!_

He gripped the pendant in his fist tighter. He gripped it so tightly, the sharp pain in his closed hand became dull and numb. He held onto it as if it was his lifeline, veins popping and bones creaking. Cold sweat, cold sweat ran down like beads. His vision doubled and for a moment, he caught a glimpse of familiar round and gold eyes.

… Who was that, again?

There was a crackle, and then a snap.

His heart had long given up.


	2. Finding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Preparing this fic, I accidentally clicked on "post" instead of "save as draft," so the story was released earlier than intended! I was in a panicked frenzy, so here is a new chapter!

From Patry’s quiet memories, William remembered the swords distinctively. 

The Slayer, Dweller, and then the Destroyer. There was probably more, but he could never be absolutely sure. Patry managed to suppress his memories as much as possible to keep William himself, for which the latter was very grateful for. The elven chief, though, had led his clan with the Slayer and the Dweller primarily. For that reason, the appearances of those two blades in particular were burned into his memory.

That, and his four leafed grimoire. 

A frown remained on the face of the Captain of the Golden Dawn. The Magic Brigades were notified of suspicious activity around the Diamond Kingdom’s border, and as William happened to be the closest one there, his team was immediately dispatched.

Carefully, of course. Sandler scouted the area diligently. The Golden Dawn’s Magic Knights were all capable and proficient at what they do, for which William took great pride in. They were all very hardworking under the label of elites and supremacy. 

Arriving at the site, however, William found himself falling silent at the sight before him. Much of his expression was hidden by his mask. His comrades following behind, an air of concern and confusion arose around them. 

The Diamond soldiers at the scene were already heavily injured and exhausted. As their hostility was still present, the Golden Dawn quickly subdued and captured them. From what it seemed, the enemy was quite adamant on not letting them near… Something.

_Or be aware of something._

It was proven by the enemy soldiers’ desperation as the two groups clashed. William approached the cave (or hidden fort) the enemy was guarding. With the flip of his grimoire, he broke open the entrance. There were multiple walls.

He stepped forward. Branches and roots of his magic followed suit, whereas a member of his brigade provided embers of fire for visibility. 

They found themselves at an open area enveloped by reinforced walls. William furrowed his eyebrows. 

… A child. There was a boy.

He had pale hair. William couldn’t see his face clearly. 

But…

“This presence…” Sandler murmured with a concerned tone. So he felt it, too.

The boy was covered in strange darkness. Something otherworldly, William deduced. There were tiny horns growing from the crown of his head. 

_Weg,_ his mind supplied. Even though they never really used it until that fateful day, the elves had knowledge on forbidden magic. 

The boy looked barely ten. 

A frown remained on William’s face. 

He wasn’t surprised at how small the boy seemed. Life wasn’t kind in any country, not to mention the Diamond Kingdom that had no qualms in human experimentation. It was still stomach churning, of course, and William was still widely disturbed by the implications of this scene, but…

His frown deepened.

Because… 

_Because._

Absentmindedly making sure Patry was still asleep at the back of his consciousness, William kept his eyes on the blackened weapon the small boy was holding limply in his right hand. His left, on the other hand, was balled into a tight fist.

… That sword.

The Demon Slayer. 

It was unmistakable despite its rusted appearance. The elven chief, Licht, had wield that sword and fought with grace. William recognized it. 

And then that grimoire. The grimoire was dirty and slightly shredded, but it was still intact. It hovered by the boy’s arm, this ominous energy rising from the tome. Its aura was suffocating. Eroding.

 _Negating_.

A Five Leaf clover. 

Recalling the folklore behind the kingdom’s clover, a shiver was sent down the magic knight’s back. William kept the mana in the air in check. 

Grimoires were made out of mana. They dissipate and break apart once their master loses their life. That was law, the workings of nature. At least, it should be, after decades and decades of research. If the elven chief had lost his life that day, if he really did, then his grimoire should have been…

 _Weg_.

If Forbidden Magic were involved, then anything could be possible—no matter how abnormal. William recalled the story of the First Wizard King, the story of how he fought against the monstrous fiends and defeated their demonic leader. He thought about Patry’s memories and how the dreams of his past always ended up with fire. 

He thought about how all of the elves should be reincarnated, their souls housed within a human vessel. 

“Master Vangeance…?”

The branches of his World Tree couldn’t get close to the boy. William considered his options.

He took a step forward. Sandler’s eyes widened.

“The child is a Clover Kingdom civilian. We’re taking him back. Investigate this place before enemy reinforcements arrive. Destroy it afterwards.”

A three-leaf salute later, his Magic Knights immediately went to work. William stood before the boy.

… His face was slack from any emotion. If it was Yami, he might be able to sense the physical state of the boy. Ki or something. 

The boy’s left hand was gripped in a tight fist. His right hand was limp with Licht’s sword. 

Kneeling down to look at the boy eye to eye, William saw red and then green. The small horns were very visible within ash grey hair. 

“Hello,” William said softly. The boy, eyes half-lidded, gave no response. “Can you hear me?”

“... Captain Vangeance.”

Shiren, one of his subordinates, remained present for support. He stood at the entrance of the room, a firm look on his face as per usual. 

“My name is William.” 

Still no response.

Examining closely, William noted the amount of injuries the child sustained. His torso in particular was extremely messed up. Frowning at that sight, he focused back to the child’s eyes.

They were very dead. Almost like Patry’s companion, Fana. William remembered her when he was at the back of their shared space, Fana was the newest addition to Patry’s group… One of his elven family. 

But his closed fist told a different story. To William, it told a very different story.

Standing back up, he looked over his shoulder and nodded to the other. Shiren returned the motion.

It was time to head back.

* * *

William recalled his foster mother backhanding him in the face. 

The sudden impact came so abruptly. A smaller William fell backwards and crashed into marble floor. Pain whined in his right cheek, he tried stifling back tears. William was confused. The marble was cold.

“Filth,” there was a dangerous look in her eyes. William came to learn how to read facial expressions well. “You don’t deserve to be here.”

“Deserving” was a strange term. For a long time, William couldn’t quite grasp its meaning.

Because he had the same blood as his father running through his veins, he was brought to this house after the heir’s unfortunate death. Because he was his father’s illegitimate child, he was casted aside to the Forsaken Realm, a place disgusted and looked down upon by nobility. 

Because of his unique magic, they (the rest of his family) tolerated his existence and found him interesting. 

Because of his face.

The pain began whining again.

Because of his face.

But _because_ of his unique, interesting magic, Master Julius took notice of him in the purest way possible.

William had grown a tree carefully with his mana. Birds were perching on its branches, and then...

… To be honest, with the memories and lingering emotions of the soul within his body, when his foster mother kept treating him the way she did, William considered to just run. Simple, right? Little by little, his faith in humanity eroded, and he couldn’t help but think that the soul’s emotions were right. Justified.

Humans were ugly. He felt ugly. He probably was.

But at the same time, there was this strong connection, a connection to the soul he later learned was Patry, and thus the need to protect Patry became stronger than ever. 

The sadness was overwhelming, the memories were saddening. 

A kind, gentle hand took a small elf boy’s. His mother, William presumed, because she was there from the beginning. All the elves had looked so happy, it _felt_ happy. This pure sense of contentment... William never felt that way before, at least before meeting Julius.

William couldn’t run away. If he ran away, where else could he go? Patry’s home no longer existed. Nowhere was safe for a child with such an ugly scar. At least in the Vangeance House, he still had a roof over his head and food to eat. He was accessed to information and had a lot of privileges. 

A lot of… Privileges. 

So he would be resilient. For Patry’s sake, he would hold on. His body was not his own.

(Those privileges were an illusion. He had none. The only rights he had were given to him by Patry and Julius. Patry, who gave him a right to care, and Julius, who gave him a right to believe.)

(Caring was hard. Believing was difficult.)

William stood before the Wizard King’s door. 

The boy with the Five Leaf, he wondered about that child.

“We cannot possibly have him in the dungeons,” he found himself saying. “The Royal Houses aren’t in charge of this situation.”

The Wizard King nodded. “I agree.”

When the boy’s strange darkness subsided, red eye turning back green, Marx had quickly checked his memories. They were all scattered and blurry, but the mage managed to pick up sparse strings of thoughts. 

He still had a will. The soul behind his eyes was not dead. 

They still couldn’t pick up on his name, though. Anti-Magic made Marx’s magic considerably unstable. Learning about his Anti-Magic, however, gave ideas to the monarch. It was bitterly unethical, William would never let it happen.

He could swear it on his grimoire. He would. Patry was still resting at the back of his mind, awakening Fana’s soul had taken a toll on him.

“I have an idea,” Julius began. The paperwork was piled neatly on his table. Kind eyes softening, he chuckled. “I went to see the child earlier, and just by looking at him… Yes, some healthy human relationships would definitely be good for him, as Owen stated.

“I want to have a Magic Brigade look after him. Given his situation, there was no way for him to go back into civilian life. The royals won’t have it, either, and they’re pretty adamant on keeping his Five Leaf grimoire in check. Apparently he gets violent when approached without warning… A self-defense mechanism, I suppose. Otherwise, he wouldn’t move at all.”

A beat later, Julius frowned. “Well… According to Owen, his lack of movement seemed to be… Forced. Like he’s trying to not make any movement or sound as much as possible.”

William nodded.

“What do you think?”

“... For him to be looked after by a Magic Brigade… I believe it is a good idea,” a small smile reached the younger’s face. 

The Magic Brigades… Heroes of the kingdom. Since they were all _supposed_ to be the strongest, the most reliable, the king would surely have no qualms about the Five Leaf boy under the care of one of them.

The question was _which_ one, and while most would spend a long time considering their options, William already recognized the answer floating rather obviously within the Wizard King’s head.

“The Black Bulls, right?”

Julius laughed.

“Yup!”

Marx stared at them.

He stared at them for a long time.

“... _What_.”

And thus, the nameless boy was hereby under the custody of the Black Bulls, the Lord of Destruction’s Magic Brigade. For an indefinite time, the Black Bulls should monitor the boy’s behavior while keeping this mission classified from public ears, including other Magic Knights aside Captains and Vice Captains. 

That was the official statement.

Yami, William later learned, was taken rather off guard by the sudden top secret mission. Despite that, the Captain of the Golden Dawn was quite positive that things would go okay—maybe not smoothly, but still okay.

At least, on the bottom of his heart, he hoped so. 

_… What’s this all about?_ Patry’s voice, still drowsy, sounded within William’s heart.

Placing a hand above the center of his chest, William smiled his usual smile.

_It’s nothing._

* * *

Two years. For two years, Finral Roulacase had been a Magic Knight, and while it should (it really should be) a respectable job, the social ladder still stood strong. 

Because _dammit_ , he really hadn’t been doing anything, right?! 

Come on, now! The Black Bulls! Already the worst the moment it was created! Even though Finral was now a Magic Knight, it meant nothing! All he had been doing was sending Captain Yami to the john and doing other meaningless errands!

A year his younger brother joined the ranks, he was already long past a Junior Magic Knight. As for Finral? What was life.

The difference in talent was very pronounced. Even now, his hands trembled on the thought of...

“Oi, Finral.”

Blinking up from his meal, there stood Yami looming over his table.

“Ah. Yes, Captain Yami?” … Was it the john again?

“I’ve been called to the Royal Capital. Get going.”

“Ah. Right.” Okay, so not the john.

Grimoire flipping to the right page, Finral’s Fallen Angel Gate manifested into existence. It was difficult trying to maintain its shape, but lately, Finral had been getting a better hang of it ( _thankfully_ ).

He tried to not think about his parent’s snide remarks, nevertheless Langris’. 

Stepping into the Royal Capital, Finral kept his eyes glued to the city’s beautiful architecture. He wondered what business Yami had this time.

But he must admit… In the end, being a member of the Black Bulls might not be so bad. It could’ve been a lot worse, and if Finral was in a different brigade… Well. 

“So this boy will be under the Black Bulls’ custody until further notice.”

“... Huh?”

In front of them was the Wizard King, Julius Novachrono, and the Communication Magic specialist, Marx Francois. The room they were in was sealed with Barrier Magic, and the doctor Owen, standing at the sidelines, was only watching them with an amused smile.

The look on Finral’s face greatly resembled Marx’s, to Finral’s later realization. 

… A young boy, who looked very injured… To the Black Bulls? What?

Yami blinked. “Say what?”

The Wizard King made a lighthearted laugh. “Basically, I want you to take care of this boy. Give him a place to stay, be his friend.”

A beat later.

 _Hold up hold up hold up-! Taking care of a_ child _?! The_ Black Bulls _taking care of a_ child _?! What were they thinking?! How was that even the slightest bit sane?!_

“Eh…?” Yami let out a bored (but subtly taken back) tone. “You’re telling me this kid’s involved with some seriously dangerous taboo stuff, and you want _my brigade_ to keep an eye on him? Seriously? Why don’t you let the Shiny Oddball Mask Guy’s shiny brigade handle this?”

Finral was glad that Yami was on the same train of thought as he had. Even Marx seemed to be wanting to nod in agreement and panic. 

“Ah~ Well,” Julius Novachrono placed his hands together. “I thought he might like the Black Bulls!”

… The statement was rather unconvincing. 

Looking up and down the kid, it was very disturbing to see such a small child this… Even Finral could tell that he was heavily malnourished. Mistreated. Despite being patched up, he still looked so... Brittle. What had this kid been going through? _Who_ was he?

“I… I will relay all the information we have on this child to you,” Marx Francois began, albeit hesitantly. “Including any resources that you will need for his care.”

“Finral, take notes.”

“Yes sir- wait, huh? Ah, nevermind. Yes, I’ll take notes.” Finral quickly swiped out a notepad and quill. 

The nameless child was found by the Golden Dawn at the border between the Diamond and Clover Kingdoms. After some investigation, it was deduced that the boy might have been an experiment conducted by the enemy kingdom, but it was no doubt that he was of Clover origins. 

And then...

Anti-Magic. Finral paused.

A manaless boy with Anti-Magic. 

Finral wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Rather, he _did_ , but he didn’t have the will to actually stomach it. 

If Clover Kingdom had not taken notice of this boy’s existence… Things could be very dangerous with the Diamond Kingdom.

But…

Quill stopping, Finral looked sadly at the boy. The pale-haired kid had not moved an inch, and then the look in his eyes... 

How old was he? Since when did he get… By the Diamond Kingdom…?

The notion that this was undoubtedly a _serious mission_ finally settled. Finral’s hand shook a bit before continuing to write. 

“He should be eleven or ten,” Owen stated softly. “A naturally small stature, but he wasn’t able to grow properly based on the wounds he sustained. No matter in what kingdom or country, we normally receive our grimoires when we are fifteen… But for him...”

“This is his grimoire,” Julius raised an awfully filthy tome in a hand. “Keep it safe.”

Handing it over to Yami, the captain stared at it a bit before huffing. 

“Welp, looks like we’re stuck on babysitting duty. Finral, you caught all of that?”

Jumping with a start, Finral quickly nodded. “Yes, I-”

“Good.” Yami grinned.

Finral did not like that look on his face.

He did not like it at all.

(A few months later, taking care of the kid by himself most of the time, Finral was glad that new brigade members were finally recruited. A day later, he quickly retracted that thought when Luck and Magna blew up the entire bathhouse in the matter of seconds. The kid must not be near those two menaces.)

(As for his name... In reference to the boy’s Anti-Magic, for now, they decided to call him “Anti.”)

(“Anti,” the honorary member of the Black Bulls Magic Brigade.)


	3. The Black Bulls' Story - Part 1: The Hideout

It was a bright morning somewhere in the Common Realm. Deep within its vast forests, there sat the Black Bull’s always-changing hideout. The hideout was shaped uniquely for it was really a mansion composed of blocks and blocks of houses, but nevertheless, it stood tall and proud. There were rumors of a ghost haunting the place, as well, but no one was absolutely sure about its existence… 

More like, blame Yami for not informing them of Henry Legolant’s existence. But moving on…

It was no wonder that Yami Sukehiro was the one who decided to make that place the brigade’s headquarters. Unlike the other brigades, where they were stationed near important locations and was basically luxurious, he picked the place that would most fit his image of “Black Bulls.”

The kid they were supposed to supervise was sitting on one of the couches in the lounge. Seeing how incredibly still he was, you wouldn’t realize until it was too late that the kid needed what he needed. 

The boy failed to move even on his own accord. Telling him what to do was to no avail, too. That was why Yami had Finral in charge for the most part—to keep a constant, attentive eye on the boy. 

“And your Spatial Magic’s super useful for this,” Yami stated simply. “You’re in charge, got it?”

Finral was kind of dying inside, but he was alright. This was a very important mission given to them by the Wizard King… Finral had no choice but to make sure the kid was alright.

Though, continuously calling the kid “kid” seemed kind of… Too bad they didn’t have a name for him. No matter where he came from, Finral hoped that he at least _had_ a name. Even if it was forgotten or left unused, it would be really sad if he didn’t even have one to start with. 

There were still a lot of questions regarding the boy’s origins. Finral hoped they would be answered someday soon.

Stretching his back, Finral glanced at the nutrient plan Doctor Owen gave him.

“Alright," he nodded. “Let’s do this.” 

Very quickly (and a bit too quick to his liking), the Spatial Magic user got used to the routine of helping the boy to the restroom, changing his bandages, washing his hair, feeding him, and all of that. He did them all with diligence and care, making sure to not miss a single step. Seeing how frail he was, for a moment, Finral was suddenly reminded of Miss Fines-

…

Most of the time, the kid would only sit on the same couch, blank green eyes staring off to space. Sometimes, Finral would wonder what was going through the boy’s mind. What was he thinking about? A few hours passed, it worried Finral that he might not be getting the exercise he needed, so as the doctor instructed, he tried to help him take small walks across the room. 

Baby steps, of course. It occurred to the mage that it might be painful _for_ the boy to actually move, seeing how messed up his body was. 

The boy was seriously too thin. Too light. He was barely breathing… Finral had to do a double take just to make sure his chest was moving. 

_Well… Even with the help of Recovery Magic, it’s not like he’ll get into shape immediately..._

Finral sighed. 

“There you go,” saying some words of encouragement as the boy took a small, dragging step forward, Finral led him to the middle of the room.

The boy blinked slowly. Finral let go a sigh of relief.

“Alright,” he brought out a smile. “Let’s go back to the couch, shall we?”

In this empty lounge with only the two of them present, the only sounds that could be heard was Finral’s own breathing and maybe the chirping of some birds. 

… Well.

It was honestly kind of serene.

* * *

The first milestone was when Magna and Luck blew up the baths in a compact explosion.

Both brigade members were standing awkwardly there side by side, drenched and scorched at the same time. The only difference between the two was Luck’s permanent smile in contrast to Magna’s nervous demeanor.

Similarly to the two, Anti was also drenched with soap bubbles in his hair. His face was still very blank with half-lidded eyes. 

Finral stared at them with the eyes of horror and disbelief.

(Thank whatever god that was out there that Yami wasn’t here right now.)

“What in the name of-?! I left for an errand to only come back to _this_?! What happened here!” 

“Uh… Erm, well…” Magna awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He looked quite drawn back in comparison to his usual high-energy self. Luck only laughed cheerfully.

“Anti attacked Magna so I joined the fight!”

“Wha-”

Now it was Magna staring at Luck with the eyes of horror.

Earlier, due to a mission that required Finral’s magic, the mage decided to leave Anti with the new brigade members, Luck Voltia and Magna Swing. They were only recruited recently, and unfortunately, Finral did not hear about Luck’s infamous moniker.

And he should’ve known. The folks that Yami recruit? All unique and different—of _course_ he would pick up the rowdy types one day.

But… It was supposed to be a simple job. It _should_ be a simple job. _Look after Anti by following this list of very-easy-to-understand instructions._ Finral thought that it might be a good task especially for newbies, not to mention that Anti, by now, was a constant presence with the Black Bulls... Every member had a responsibility to look after him, too, so...

He kind of want to cry now.

_I hate this so much._

Magna Swing, who was trying his best not to fidget on his feet, thought back on what occurred in the last few hours.

Being a newbie, the young mage was really excited on receiving his first mission, even if it was just to take care of some kid. Even though he was a bit concerned that their senior had no problems with Luck joining the fray (seeing that Luck electrocuted Magna at first contact), Magna strived to get along with everybody in the team. 

After all! That was what being a man was, right?! The sort of person Magna wanted to be was one that was dependable and honest!

The instructions Finral handed over to them were really clear and straight to the point. Even for a peasant like himself, Magna actually understood it pretty easily—it was amazing! He supposed that was to be expected for the Magic Knights, and the mere thought of it psyched him up.

_He was seriously a Magic Knight, now! This was insane!_

The instructions given were a simple schedule for the day. It wrote stuff like “lunch at twelve, change bandages at this time,” and so on. The only extra note was to be patient and gentle with Anti, and basically, “be his friend.”

So Magna followed it. He followed it accordingly, recalling Old Man Seihi’s words about what it meant to be a real man. Anti, after some observations, looked like he could crumble down any moment, so seeing him work so hard eating bite after bite of his lunch was really encouraging. Since it was now Magna’s job to look after him and as well as being someone who was probably older than the boy, the mage made a decision with an iron will.

No matter what, he would never let Anti fall! 

They went through the walks just fine. Meals were eaten, too, though Magna’s arm kind of got sore spoon-feeding the kid. He talked a lot, speaking for the both of them, and fortunately enough... Luck managed to not cause any trouble as he helped watch over the kid. He merely hung around with his smile, and thinking about it, it was as if Luck and Anti were direct opposites.

One never stopped smiling while the other showed no signs of personality. Actually, Magna wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. But anyway...

… Well, everything _was_ going pretty fine… But then…

At the bath...

Magna was helping Anti wash up as Luck floated around beside them. Things were going fine, really, and Magna even made sure no soap got into Anti’s eyes. That, and the baths were amazing. The Black Bulls’ hideout was insane!

Washing his arms and hands, however, Magna noticed how his left hand was gripped into this really tight fist. In fact, he realized how the kid’s left fist was always clenched. That couldn’t be sanitary, right? Did he ever wash it?

Shrugging, he tried prying it open.

The next course of events happened in the matter of seconds.

First, a black blur of something shot past his face. Not really registering it, Magna slowly turned his gaze upwards to see this huge ass sword in Anti’s grasp, blackened blade towering over the mage. The look on Anti’s face was still very, very blank.

At the corner of his sight, Magna caught the glimpse of a strange, shabby book.

...

“WHAT IN THE-” Shrieking, Magna quickly pulled back as the sword crashed down, blade cutting right into stone ground. Luck, who noticed the sudden abrupt movements, only shot up with an excited, bright smile.

“Oh! Are we fighting right now? Let me join, too!!”

Luck had Lightning Magic. This was the bath. There was no change in Anti’s blank expression, his eyes still half-lidded. 

And thus, Magna’s flashback ended with crazy, manic laughter and desperate, blood curdling screams.

As Magna and Luck stood depressingly at the quiet corner, Vanessa Enoteca, who was lying across a couch, burst out laughing. She grinned brightly at them.

“Anti must’ve really not wanted you to open his fist, then! Whatever’s in his hand must be very precious to him… Over these months, he barely moved!”

Finral blinking dumbly, he used a towel to rub Anti’s hair dry. “There’s something in his hand?”

“Of course!” Sitting up, Vanessa’s smile softened. “But it’s kind of… Mysterious, in a way. He doesn’t move on his own, but when it comes to fighting… Wasn’t he quite violent?”

 _Very violent_ , Magna thought to himself, but under everything, he was kind of impressed by how the boy still managed to swing that huge ass sword around despite such weak arms. 

That being said…

“So that shabby book sitting on the table over there all day… That was his grimoire?”

After a short pause, Finral winced. 

“... Ahaha… Yeah. We should really put somewhere else, shouldn’t we.” _Damn it, Yami_.

But the fact that Anti moved on his own accord for the first time… Attacking Magna… Finral paused at that thought.

“Hm… But staying cooped up indoors all the time feels kind of stuffy, right?” Vanessa sighed. “It would be nice if we could take Anti outside some day… To the town, maybe? Once he gets strong enough, of course.”

Smiling brighter, the witch chuckled. “I think it would be really nice.”

(“I agree,” Gordon muttered at the sidelines. “Going out shopping together will strengthen our friendship and bonds with each other. We should all go out someday.”)

… Finral stared at the boy whose eyes were still half-lidded and blank. Glancing shortly at his closed fist, the Spatial Magic user fell into a quiet ponder.

He wondered.

* * *

Reports were due weekly. Check ups with Owen were biweekly. Scribbling away any notable events, Finral spent the next hour working on his report. 

_Reacted upon contact with his left hand. Used his grimoire for the first time._

_Something important in his left hand?_

… Should he mention that this occurred in the baths? Was that even important? Finral sighed.

Anti remained seated beside him. Dinner was finished, so brigade members that were present were playing cards together. Well, most of them. The stranger ones were still hovering at the side, Finral wasn’t sure if it was just that they were shy or… He didn’t know. Who knew what was on Gordon’s mind?

Vanessa, who recently discovered her love for alcohol, chugged down a bottle of Clover Beer. She had been more and more open recently—definitely a good sign! The witch used to be very shy around others, Finral remembered how she was like when she first joined!

(Offering her roses, Vanessa only returned his gesture with deadpan eyes.)

“Eh, take the kid out to town?” Yami drew a breath from his cigarette. “Why not? Owen will probably say ‘first the forest’ or something, though.”

“We can eat lots of good food, la! I'll take Anti to _all_ the good places!” Charmy cheered, grimoire open and Sheep Cooks cooking. How much could she eat, anyway? Didn’t they just have dinner?!

Well, going out would definitely be nice. Finral agreed. The main problem, aside from the kid’s current physical and mental state, was probably the tiny horns growing out of his head. They could totally pass it off as some sort of costume of sorts, but since Anti’s circumstances were classified… They should probably cover it up to avoid any unnecessary attention… Right?

Speaking of unnecessary attention…

Gauche returned from a mission with a few more negative stars. They now have about thirty four...

...

Then again, the Black Bulls weren’t exactly the type to _not_ bring attention. The plus side, Finral supposed, was that all the attention would probably just go to the brigade members instead if they went out as a group.

That could all be considered. He should probably discuss with Owen about it.

Looking back to his report, the mage continued writing.

… It was kind of exciting, actually, thinking about all of this. Finral smiled to himself. 

Maybe it was because he was being more productive lately, or that he just woke up on the good side of the bed this morning, but regardless the reason, he felt kind of content with himself. 

At that, an explosion suddenly blew up in his face as Magna chased Luck across the base, screaming about something to do with puddings and _damn you, I was saving that!_

Alright, now. This was seriously too much, especially for their second day of recruitment. Since Finral took most of the hit, Anti was safe from harm… _That_ he was glad about, Finral didn’t want him to get any more hurt than he already was. But then again...

His report. It was on fire.

...

Standing up, the Spatial Magic user took a deep breath.

“COULD YOU GUYS JUST-!”  
  


“Say, I just noticed, but… Finral haven’t been going out hitting on ladies lately. Did you notice?” Vanessa, trying to be secretive, whispered (rather loudly) to the captain. Her words were a bit slurred with the taste of drunken red.

Yami blinked at the statement. Glancing towards said mage, who was using Spatial Magic to split the rookies away from each other, he blinked again.

“Huh. That’s true, I guess.”

The boy, who continued to sit at the sidelines, watched the energetic Black Bulls with quiet, tired eyes.

He watched, blinked slowly, and softened his eyes at the sight of their boisterous, cheerful laughter.

Aside from Yami, no one noticed.


	4. The Black Bulls' Story - Part 2: The Gift

Gauche Adlai. Older brother, ex-convict, and member of the Black Bulls Magic Brigade. Known to have this rather intense sister-complex, his vast magic power and control was not to be underestimated.

Due to his criminal record, Gauche could only see his little sister, Marie, once a month. The thought itself was painful, so to prevent himself from going on a rampage, he settled with staring at a photo of her to make up for the lost time. Hopefully Captain Yami would allow him to go visit Marie soon. Gauche did his best to earn less negative stars this month, after all.

Marie was adorable as always. He sighed. 

...

It was really awkward being the only person here aside from the kid. Sitting across from each other, Anti was staring at him with his usual blank eyes. The lounge was very empty.

Even though the kid was constantly in this hideout for the last ten or so months (or was it already a year), Gauche never really interacted with him before. Apparently, the older was recruited shortly after the kid was brought in, but really… Gauche could care less about some brat who was supposed to be their mission.

Either way, it was usually Finral who looked over him, right? Why have Gauche, of all people, to watch after the brat in such a short notice?

Grumbling under his breath, he averted his attention back to his photo of Marie. Her bright smile could save the world again and again, Marie was really an angel. She was a goddess. He could go on forever about it. Oh, Marie.

… The kid was still staring blankly at him.

After a few awkward seconds, Gauche sighed. Glancing up from his photo, he reluctantly met the kid’s eyes. 

“... Do you need something?”

Silence. Apparently, again, the kid never talked or anything.

His eyes were seriously very blank. 

Looking back to his photo, a frown began to grow on Gauche’s face. He didn’t like this. 

_Hey, can you watch after Anti for a moment? It’ll be quick, I promise!_ Yeah, screw him. It has already been thirty minutes! Where the hell was that Finral?!

He sighed again.

“... How can you even trust them? Especially how you are right now. No matter the reason, it’s still all out of selfishness, you know?”

Silence.

At the sight of Marie’s photo crumbling at the slightest, Gauche quickly loosened his grip before her image was ruined. 

“Helping you for self-gratification, not to mention your unknown origins… At any rate, you’re still being used. Whether it was the Diamond Kingdom or Clover Kingdom, here or wherever. Yet…”

Placing a hand over his left eye, Gauche trailed off with an unpleasant taste in his mouth. Shaking his head, he glanced back to the kid, and at that...

The mage froze at the sight of an anti-bird perched on top of the kid’s head.

…

Both the bird and the kid were staring at him with blank, empty eyes. After a solid minute, Gauche slowly looked away.

_I’ll… I’ll just pretend that I didn’t see anything. Yeah, I’ll just do that._

The bird and the boy continued to stare.

* * *

“The Adlai House is one of the most distinguished families, indeed!” Noblemen exchanged greetings and pleasant smiles. Because of the crystals hanging off the well-kept chandeliers, light was fractured and reflected. 

“Gauche, dear. Look after Marie, alright?” Mother’s smile was beautiful and kind. Gauche nodded, he was carrying his toddler sister in his arms. 

He still remembered when his mother’s tummy was all swollen. Young as he was, he couldn’t really understand the concept of babies, but when Marie was finally born, all he could do was stare. 

She… She was terribly small. So small and weak, fingers curled up into a ball. 

Gauche read about the Forsaken Realm. He heard about it, too, since people talked. He got the gist of it pretty quickly—if you weren’t strong enough, you would not be able to protect yourself. He remembered hearing about how the children of the slums were treated, and imagining a world where they were born unlucky, Marie… She was too small. She wouldn't survive.

The thought itself was scary.

In this family, their father was dependable and their mother was kind. Gauche and Marie were lucky to have such loving parents, to be born in such a family. Since they were on the king’s good side, to Gauche’s understanding, this was a safe place for children like Marie and himself. 

It _was_ supposed to be a safe place, right?

Then… Then why.

Something was screaming in his chest. His ears were ringing with panic and dread. (Drowa stared hopelessly at the falling shards of light. The sky was so, terribly red. Looking down, his hands trembled. Her body was long cold. There was so much blood. Eclat was supposed to live a long life. Why— _why?_ )

Why was Mother and Father dead?

The nobleman had a pleasant smile on his face. That smile, why was he smiling. Gauche was confused. 

(How dare you. How _dare_ you.)

Light was fractured off the crystals of the chandeliers. 

(We _trusted_ you. We really did.)

_“Get out.”_

( _HOW DARE YOU.)_

“We’re home!” Jolting awake, Gauche blinked twice before spotting Finral and a collective of others cheerfully entering the base. Oh, they returned. Finally.

 _Did I doze off…?_ Shaking his head, Gauche sank back on his seat as the hideout became noisy again. It was better with the noise, actually. The silence made everything feel so out of place… 

“Thanks for looking after Anti, Gauche! Did anything happen when we were gone?” Finral said as he put down some bags of… Who knew what. Gauche made a simple shrug, he was too tired to deal with this.

In the background, the energetic folks took notice of Anti’s new bird companion. 

“Oh, look! It’s an anti-bird!”

“Hey, check out that look on the bird’s face! It’s exactly the same with Anti’s, isn’t that just cute?”

“More like a gross coincidence, haha!”

“Where did it come from, though?”

(“Maybe the bird wants to be friends with us. Let's all be friends.”)

“So?” Gauche glanced at the Spatial Magic user. “Why did you all suddenly leave, earlier?”

Pausing with a blink, Finral melted into a lighthearted laugh. “Ah, about that…”

As if on cue, Vanessa pulled out a paper bag with much gusto. Gauche raised an eyebrow. _Booze again?_

But no, it wasn’t booze. It had nothing to do with alcohol, much to Gauche’s surprise.

_But what could-_

Oh.

“Gordon picked the cloth. Doesn’t it look awesome?” Voice brimmed with earnest excitement, Vanessa grinned. “A custom made for our one and only Anti!”

... A dyed black headband with the Black Bulls’ insignia. Vanessa probably wove the symbol in with her Thread Magic... It looked really well made. 

“The doctor said that he’s healed up considerably,” Finral said, smiling. “We wanted to get something for him, seeing how hard he’s working… Though we weren’t exactly sure what he would like, unfortunately.”

Gauche remained silent for a bit before nodding.

“Alright, Anti! We’re going to put this on now, okay?” Carefully, the Bulls placed the headband over unruly hair. They managed to not bother the bird in any way, impressively.

Taking a step back, Finral hummed. “It seems a bit too tight for him… Vanessa, can you make it a little looser?”

“Eh? Sure, I can do that. Let’s see…”

“Hm… Okay! Right there,” Finral smiled. “Great! He’s comfortable now.”

_… How the hell was he able to tell?_

Headband fully fixed, it was worn all snugly around Anti’s head. The anti-bird, now named Nero, remained seated in the nest of his hair. They were really twins or something, even the horns were on point. 

“You look great, Anti!” Magna said with an enthusiastic thumbs up. “Now you have your own Black Bulls’ themed outfit!”

(“We now match. My hat also has the Black Bulls’ insignia. I feel that our friendship level is rising.”)

Turning away, Gauche stored his photo of Marie safely into a pocket. Passing by Grey, he left for his room. 

… 

He guessed it was fine this way. Whatever the case…

Gauche supposed it was fine.

(In the end, the elf could never be sure about that human prince. He wanted to trust him, he really did. Lumiere... The hope for harmony he gave them... To Licht...)

(It made them so happy. It was such a precious gift.)

* * *

The Black Bulls all held their breath as Anti made another step forward. Watching them behave this way was honestly amusing, to think they would work so hard for some random brat… Not bad!

Now if only they would work as hard with their usual jobs. The kid got them all wrapped around his pinky. Opening up a bottle, Yami poured himself some alcohol.

The headband fit him impressively well. Owen said he got some nasty injuries around those horns of his... Got them healed, of course, but there could be some lingering pain. The kid was riddled with them, injuries that were invisible to the eye.

Upon the first meeting, Yami could tell that his body was completely out of whack. Even without ki, it was really obvious... The way his muscles were like, his nerves and everything. For a kid that age, Yami could say it would be near impossible to gain back full health.

Then again, ki was kind of like a second nature to Yami, so… Oh well. Yeah, it was obvious with ki.

“That’s thirteen steps, la!” Charmy gasped loudly. “That’s three more compared to last time!”

Magna wiped away a tear. “Anti, you’re the man… That many steps without any help… Ugh… I’m so proud…”

Anti’s knees buckled a little as Yami sensed his muscles getting strained. Of all people, much to the captain’s surprise, Finral managed to catch him with a chair before the boy toppled over. Staring at them as they (specifically Charmy) offered the boy snacks, Yami blinked slowly. The strange bird looked rather comfortable sitting on top of Anti's head.

… Huh. 

“Captain,” Gauche quickly approached him. “Can I go see Marie.”

“... I don’t know, _can_ you?”

Before Gauche could say anything else, Yami quickly tucked in a “no.” 

Leaning back, Yami slightly smirked before thinking back to what Julius said. That old man… He seriously had too much faith with this disastrous group. But _because_ he had this much faith, Yami would never let him down.

Earlier in the morning, Yami had to go attend a Captain’s meeting. It was nice and all, but according to Goldy, the Diamond Kingdom troops hadn’t been very aggressive lately... While the implications could mean many things, it was the calm before a storm indeed. Whatever they were plotting, the Magic Knights of Clover Kingdom ought to be prepared. Not to mention the recent terrorist attacks… Geh. So troublesome. At the very least they get to beat up some people, though.

But, he supposed… It was not a bad thing to just chill from time to time, taking care of some random brat. Unlike the other brigades, where they were all so straight-laced and serious...

In the end, this was the Black Bulls. 

_Now, as for that guy… Once you feel up to it, hope you’ll finally get up and introduce yourself to them, too._

_It’ll be worth waiting for that day._

* * *

Sometime later, a city…

“Hip hip hooray! Anti’s first time shopping, la!” 

After long months of healing, Anti at last got strong enough to walk around without support for small intervals of time. With the doctor’s approval, he was finally allowed to explore out of the hideout and its extension, the surrounding forest! The Black Bulls decided to all go to town together, and what other place was better than the good, old Kikka?

City colosseum! The place where the entrance exams were held! Not to mention the markets, there were so many places to explore! The view from the city was also fabulous, Vanessa took into consideration the possibility of getting tired.

But still… What a turning point! This was so exciting! Walking around the city, just as everyone was busy chattering, Magna ended up trailing quiet as he turned around.

Luck, who noticed Magna’s sudden tension, looked over to the other.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Magna?”

“... Uh.”

A voice filled with anxiety and horror.

"Where’s Anti?”


	5. The Black Bulls’ Story - Part 3: The City

It was not even ten minutes into the team outing when Yami was suddenly called to the Royal Capital. While the meeting should be quick, it was also pretty urgent... So with much disgruntlement and disdain, the captain had to go. Yami was honestly quite disappointed. If whatever it was turned out to not be that important, he was going to sue someone. Probably the Wizard King himself.

Laughing weakly in response, Finral was definitely sure that Yami was sulking. He probably wanted to hang around and have fun, too, seeing that this was Anti’s first time in town. Flipping to the right page of his grimoire, Finral summoned a Fallen Angel Gate.

“Alright, we’ll be back soon. I’ll accompany Captain Yami… You guys have fun, okay?” If they could deal with whatever urgent business it was quickly, the quicker they might be able to come back and join the others. In the end, they were still Magic Knights… As much as Finral wanted to stay behind with everyone else, he was pretty sure Yami was not going to have it. 

Glancing back, he smiled smally at Anti, and by extension, everyone who was gushing about what to buy for him and all of that. To think the others were willing to spend money on someone other than themselves… It was still a touching sight to see.

A bright morning of Kikka was a good Kikka.

Fallen Angel Gate closing behind him, the Spatial Magic user had a good feeling. Kikka was close to the heart of the kingdom, it was also very safe with the presence of Magic Knights. Not to mention… Despite how they were like most of the time, his comrades and friends at the Black Bulls were all reliable and strong. At this moment, he was really proud to be a part of this squad. Anti was in good hands.

… Man, the kid really grew on him. On everyone.

Seeing that Yami had to stay behind a little longer, Finral was permitted to go back first (with a threat to come back when the meeting was done). So at that, with a good feeling in his heart...

Finral returned to a scene of screaming chaos.

… Uh. This was… Wow, even Guache looked a little… Erm… Distressed. All the civilians were giving them strange looks. Geez, they really don’t have any restraints, do they?

“Guys?” Finral was a little afraid to speak up. “What’s the matter…?”

“Finral,” Vanessa, with her gloved hands, clutched his shoulders tightly. Finral didn’t really like how serious the look in her eyes was. What was up with them all-

“We lost Anti.”

…

Finral joined the screaming fest.

* * *

Based on the look on its face, Nero, the anti-bird, was seemingly concerned by the current situation. It was currently with Anti, nested in his hair, and alone with him in the middle of a very busy city. The Black Bulls that were in charge of the child were nowhere to be seen.

To understand how they got into this predicament, Nero, judging from the look of disdain on its face, began to think back on how things ended up this way.

When the Black Bulls reached Kikka earlier, they spent the day visiting stall to stall, the Spatial Magic user constantly by Anti’s side. Fun and all, judging from the look on its face, the bird was worried if this place was a little bit too overwhelming for the child. 

That was when suddenly the captain of the group had to go somewhere, so him and the Spatial Magic user, Finral, left. Told to go have fun, the rest of the Bulls decided to move on, totally psyched as they didn’t move as a full group so often. 

To Nero’s realization, the boy was not following them. He merely stood there, silently, and judging from the look on the bird’s face, it realized that he was probably waiting for Finral, who had just vanished in a familiar Finral-fashion.

And then to Nero’s horror, as its eyes widened in the slightest way, the Black Bulls were already wandering too far ahead. If this kept going on, they might lose sight of them! Weren’t those mages supposed to be keeping watch of Anti?!

In a surge of panic, Nero wondered if it should chase after those mages and peck them back, but seeing how crowded this place was… Leaving the boy alone right now was probably not a good idea, especially since he did not possess mana. On that note, the boy suddenly dragged a foot forward. He probably noticed that he should be going with the others! 

Attempting to keep up with them, Nero internally drenched with sweat, the crowd became thicker as shoulders began bumping into shoulders. The boy was too small and frail, at this rate he would be swept away—and he did.

This was bad.

This was _really, really_ bad.

The two were now at the side of some street, the street itself filled with civilians and tourists. Nero squeezed its eyes shut for a few seconds. Reopening them, judging from the grave look of blankness on its face, it probably confirmed that _yup, they lost them._

 _So much for a classified mission,_ thought the bird based on its expression.

The boy was too tired, he was practically swaying on his feet. With a wing, Nero patted his head. If only there was a place he could rest at… 

That being said, the best option would have been staying put from the very beginning… Specifically at the place Finral and the captain departed from (assuming that it was also the place where they would return). Unfortunately, judging from the look on the bird’s face, the bird had long lost track of where it was, and as of now… Noticing an empty bench, Nero quickly jumped off of Anti’s head, trying to catch his attention with the flap of its wings.

Successfully leading him to the bench to sit down, Nero settled back to the top of his head.

 _Alright_ , the bird probably thought. _Now what?_

It was already some time since Anti was separated from the group. By now, those mages should’ve long noticed, right? Otherwise, Nero would be very concerned by the current state of the Magic Knights.

That, and…

The boy’s grimoire… Nero could’ve sworn they left it at the hideout. 

… _Don’t think about that right now. Focus._

Nero, who was once known as Secré, sighed deeply to herself. While she knew the Black Bulls were all (or at least should be) good people, they were honestly… 

Shifting on her seat at the top of Anti’s head, Secré gazed ahead. She had spent a long time trying to find Licht’s grimoire after it suddenly disappeared one day, leaving her in a state of panic and distress. Left with no clues to its whereabouts, her determination began to waver as months turned into years. The grimoire she had been guarding for so long… 

But then again, two years were unmatched to five hundred. 

It was still a pure coincidence when she stumbled upon the Black Bulls’ hideout, her little wings flapping rapidly and eyes widening. Hope was restored, but doubt grew upon meeting the grimoire’s new holder.

It was a small boy. 

…

Cruel things still happened in the world, devil or no devil. It reminded her of an incident a little more than six years ago… Near the Demon Bones. The incident had sparked a revolution out of despair and exhaustion, but despite the fact of constant shadows...

No matter how long it would take, as long the people still existed, there would always be a chance for harmony. For faith, hope, and love. 

And so for that very chance, no matter how slim it was… Secré would continue to fight. She would continue to do so, and as Nero, she remained by Anti’s side.

The sky was very blue and pretty. At the sight of the people’s smiles… The busyness of the city wasn’t so bad. The bird known as Nero watched. Anti was probably watching as well. 

A bright morning of Kikka was a good Kikka, and at that… There was a tall, lanky man with fiery red hair.

He was standing some steps away from Anti, hands in pockets and staring.

Nero stared back. 

The man’s attire… It was very interesting. Nero noticed how the man was looking around, almost as if trying to spot anyone that could resemble a lost child’s guardian. The man's outfit was really too interesting. Nero was not sure how to describe it.

Seemingly giving up his search, the man walked up towards Anti and invited himself to sit at the far end of the bench. Despite sitting quite a distance away from the child, Nero prepared to peck at him if he were to get too near. It did not want to take any chances of possible danger.

A few minutes later, nothing happened. They stayed that way for another interval of time.

… It was kind of awkward. 

At some point in time, legs crossed and arms behind the head, the man began rambling off into the air. He talked about many things, from beetles to festivals to hot news of the kingdom, but when it came to discussion on the kingdom’s Order of Magic Knights, he was rather passionate about dissing them. Nero came to the conclusion that he probably took a seat to keep Anti company—also for the child’s safety. He might be wanting to make sure the lost child gets back to his guardians safely. 

At least, that was how it felt like. Nero could be wrong, but making a judgement based on the man’s mana… There was no hint of malice. So at the very least, the stranger was not ill willed.

Lazy azure eyes glancing at Anti, the man trailed off and blinked slowly.

“... That emblem…” He noticed Anti’s headband. “Ain’t that _that guy’s_ …?”

A few beats later, the strange man cackled into laughter. “Ah, I see. What the hell, you know them or something? A big fan? Ah, whatever.” 

Standing up, he said to the boy: “Kid, stay put over there, alright? Wait a sec.”

The strange man walking away, Nero caught him muttering something along the lines of “making those Magic Knights do their job.” Nero averted its attention back to the child as soon as the man’s silhouette disappeared into the crowd.

Anti began nodding out of drowsiness. He was getting sleepy. Using a wing to pat his head again, Nero waited. 

And shortly… A distant yelling rapidly became louder.

“ANTI!” It was the Black Bulls, the very ones who lost Anti in the first place. All rushing towards the sleepy child, Finral was the first to reach him. 

“You’re safe, my goodness. You’re _safe_ ,” he looked near in tears. Nero awkwardly scooched away as the other Bulls quickly surrounded the kid. “I’m so sorry, I should’ve _known-_ ”

“No, Finral! Don’t apologize!” Magna quickly cut in, eyes wide and voice cracking with guilt. “It’s my fault! I should’ve been paying more attention—we shouldn’t have wandered off! I’m so sorry, Anti!”

“Ahaha, that’s right!” Luck said with a bright, shameless smile. “Since Magna’s at fault, let’s fight!”

“Wha- oi, Luck! Don’t give me that, you were basically laughing the entire time!” Even though it was Magna who said that, it was actually Grey who had transformed into Magna.

As members of the squad took turns apologizing (sans Gauche, who stood at the side awkwardly), the ruckus eventually faded. Vanessa tilted her head forward, strands of hair falling to the front of her face.

“But… It seems like you are fine. Thank goodness…” With a smile, she laughed softly. It was as if a tension was released from her shoulders. “Nero must have protected you. We are truly fortunate to have such a smart little fellow here.”

“Nero is the best bird, la!” Charmy said with her tiny arms raised. “Are you getting hungry, Anti? Let's go eat together! There’s this really good restaurant I want to take you to!”

Finral extended a hand for Anti to take. Weakly, the boy lifted his hand and placed it over the other’s. The Black Bulls, this time with full attention on the child, walked together under the bright morning of Kikka. 

While most of the time they were rough and rowdy, the Black Bulls were all good-hearted people. It was undeniable that they thought of the child who was meant to be their mission as part of their group. Even though they _were_ the ones who lost him in the first place, Secré felt hopeful watching this group of misfits. Hopefully the incident today would keep them grounded for the most part… Looking after another required attention and hard work. But from it seemed… Yes, they would definitely be more attentive from now on.

A good morning later, Anti’s first shopping trip came to an end.

Meanwhile, late into the afternoon, Yami was left forgotten at the Royal Capital.

“Oh, Yami. Are you not leaving? It is getting quite late,” Vangeance said with his usual elegant smile. Him and his own Spatial Magic user were about to depart back to their headquarters. 

Fist slightly shaking, the Lord of Destruction drew a long breath from his cigarette.

“That damned _Finral_ -!”

* * *

During the evening, the corridors of the hideout were silent. Feet dragging as a figure stepped forward, it stumbled a bit before leaning against a wall. The air was slightly chilly. Taking another step, the figure fell into a halt.

_I hear laughter at the lounge… It seems like Captain Yami has recruited more people._

Smiling to himself, Henry Legolant took a short breath before pushing himself off the wall. 

_One day,_ he vowed. _One day_.

And then sometime later, shortly into the future and purely by coincidence...

… Well, that would be a story for another time.


	6. The Black Bulls’ Story Final Part: The Black Bulls

Yami Sukehiro had a problem.

It was an ongoing concern, really, but Yami never really had the time (or rather, he never tried to get time) to deal with it.

It, that hovered in his mind, was the concern around Anti’s shabby grimoire: the infamous Five Leaf. When Julius handed the tome over, Yami wasn’t exactly sure if Mister Wizard King was in his right mind at the time. Trusting Yami to keep something safe…? Well, he would definitely do the job, but it was one thing to take care of other people’s stuff over his own.

So previously, Yami left the tome on some random wooden table. Since it was located in the lounge, the place where all brigade members spent most time at, he supposed it was an alright place to put it. 

He was later proven wrong when he heard it shot all the way to the baths and called upon a bloodbath. 

...

But—the thing was—now _that_ was strange. A grimoire separated from its owner shouldn’t be able to fly back like that. It just… Didn’t work that way. Was it because of Anti-Magic? Did the Five Leaf work differently from normal grimoires that were made out of mana? What the hell was that book anyway?!

So Yami Sukehiro had a problem. Now that Finral finally filed a complaint and demanded Yami to take action, the Lord of Destruction must find a suitable—yes, _suitable_ —place to store the Anti-Magic grimoire.

Which led to right now, by the kitchen, where Charmy noticed his woes.

Or more exactly, she was addressing her own concerns.

Wiggling closer, the glutton squinted at the grimoire. “Oh! Captain, that book…” 

Yami blinked. “Eh, yeah?”

“The width is perfect… Captain, can I take that if you’re not reading it, la?” 

Yami blinked again. Glancing at the grimoire, he looked back to his gluttonous subordinate. For a moment, many of Finral’s words echoed at the back of his mind. 

_Find a suitable place to keep the grimoire already, Mister Yami! If I’m going to be looking after Anti majority of the time, at least do your part!_

It was one of the rare moments where Finral finally snapped. Yami wanted to be proud of him, but at the time, the irritation of being yelled at won instead. 

As for Charmy’s question…

…

Well. 

“Sure,” he handed it over.

“Yay! Thank you so much, la!” 

Charmy tucked it between the table and a pot of hot food.

* * *

Finral’s relationship with his brother was hard to describe. There were moments when he was wary of him, wondering what other snide remarks the younger was going to say to him, but...

At the same time, Finral felt sorry for Langris. 

The emotion was really a guilty secret—he knew his brother would be furious if he were to find out.

 _If you’re sorry, then why don’t you be responsible for once? Are you going to run away again, like how you always do?_ Finral could already hear his voice snapping at him, and a bad taste was left in his mouth.

There was a time when the two brothers were on okay terms. 

“Anti!” Charmy popped up with a plate of freshly cooked food. “I got some pasta for you, la! Here, try some! It’s called ‘pasta,’ okay? Pasta!” 

As the glutton tried to stuff his face with a fork, Finral quickly reminded her to take it easy. Amongst everyone, Charmy was one of the only ones who continuously tried to familiarize Anti with words (even though hers were all food-based). Gordon would sometimes try, too, but he was honestly too quiet doing so. 

Everyone was present and relaxing at the lounge. It was a slow and peaceful day in Clover.

Reports were due weekly. Check ups with Owen were biweekly. As observations progressed, the longer the time was between each health check. By now, they only had to go visit the doctor every other month… Reports were now due monthly. 

Owen was a superb healer. Even though he was, it didn’t mean injuries could vanish as if they never existed. Scar tissue was all over the small boy’s body… Especially around his torso. Taking care of Anti everyday made Finral used to that sight. Seeing it was still saddening, though.

Finral thought back to the last doctor’s visit. 

Bandages removed and Owen’s Qualle Operation in use, the Spatial Magic user had fallen into a quiet silence.

The scars and burns… If examined from a certain angle, the shape that they made up were...

…

“... Well, if that was the case… Anti’s situation may be even more complicated than what we initially thought,” Owen merely stated. Taking off his glasses, he sighed with a gentle smile. “But there is no use thinking so hard about it. Keep up the daily exercises, he’s getting better by the day. I also heard what happened, quite the adventure you guys had there!”

Laughing awkwardly at the comment, Finral apologized quietly in Yami’s place. Owen simply waved it off.

“It was fortunate that you guys chose Kikka, though. Even though it gets crowded easily, it's a relatively safe place as long as you don’t get near the black markets.”

“Y-yeah…” 

On the other hand, when Marx was informed of their… Misadventures, his face had instantly gone pale. Finral empathized with him immensely. 

Anti was getting better. His previously pale complexion regained color, and aside from his blank, half-lidded eyes, it was as if life was returning to the child. Owen mentioned that they were lucky the boy’s Anti-Magic didn’t tamper with the healing process, as it rooted from the strange grimoire.

Speaking of the grimoire… It ended up in Charmy’s care. She used it to put something between hot food and the table, asking Yami if she could take it since he had no idea where to put it. Learning about that, Finral grew even more concerned. Was that even… Allowed?

Imagine how poor Marx would react upon hearing about it. He was already stressed out enough with his constantly missing magic ner—ah, Wizard King. He meant Wizard King.

Feeding the boy another bite, Charmy waited patiently for Anti to finish up. All the others were bickering at the side as per usual. Thinking back, honestly, Finral didn’t expect to get used to this lifestyle that quickly. 

He tried to ignore the little voice (that sounded awfully like Langris) making rude comments in his mind. Even though Finral knew that Miss Finesse wouldn’t think of him differently, because she was kind that way, he couldn’t help but feel… Too less. 

At this rate, Langris and Finesse would be... 

Shaking his head, Finral sighed. 

Another explosion sounded as Magna threw a ball of fire at his laughing friend(?). Yami looked close to chucking them both with a fist. 

There wasn’t much Finral could do as of now, but… _Right_ now, the very thing that he should be doing… 

It was looking after Anti. 

That being said… Finral was curious. What was _Anti’s_ life in the before? Were his eyes ever full of life? Did he ever… Laugh, or smile?

If anyone would know, it would be Marx, and by extension… The Wizard King. Then again, Finral wondered if there was any use thinking about this. 

Anti finished another bite of his meal. Charmy helped wipe away any sauce left around his lips. 

In the standards of the Black Bulls’, today was peaceful and serene.

...

Finral paused. Gaze turning towards Anti, the Spatial Magic user furrowed his eyebrows. The boy… There was this weird sensation, Finral wasn’t quite sure how to describe it. It was like… Finral’s frown grew deeper. Wait, since when was he able to feel this kind of…?

A beat and then another. Magna and Luck were still chasing each other across the room as Vanessa openly chugged down another bottle of booze. 

A beat and then another, Gauche was bargaining with Yami for any chances of seeing Marie. Gordon, who was muttering something to Grey, lowered his head slightly in realization that the other wasn’t quite paying attention.

A beat and then another, and...

“....s......”

The entire base went silent. Charmy nearly dropped her fork. 

Everyone’s gaze was on Anti, whose lips were slightly parted. 

“... His… First words?” Finral registered Magna’s hushed exclamation. A bead of sweat was rolling down the ex-delinquent’s face. 

First words.

_First words?!_

Even Yami was paying attention now, not to mention _Gauche_ and the _bird_. Everyone stared at Anti with wide eyes. What was he trying to say? And to begin with—Anti could _talk?!_

 _Listen carefully,_ a collective thought reached them all. _Be quiet and listen. Don’t think about anything else—just listen._

This was a milestone.

This was a _milestone._

Finral could hear his own heartbeat beating so loudly. He swallowed.

For a moment, Anti remained the same as usual, his entire existence so quiet and still. Finral remembered Owen saying something about forced stillness… A behavior that Anti grew used to. After what felt like an eternity, everyone waiting for him to continue, Finral noticed a small shift again. The boy, he… He was trying to use his throat, wasn’t he.

Finral held his breath. He held his breath for a long time.

  
  
  
  
  


“.......s.......ta.”

It was small. Anti’s voice was terribly small. Smaller than Gordon’s— near inaudible. But since everyone was silent, rarely so, they heard his voice clearly. Everyone’s breath was on hold. It was like a pin dropping in a silent room. 

For some reason, Finral felt his heart clench. 

“Pasta,” stepping backwards, Charmy gasped loudly. “His first word is ‘pasta?!’”

Gauche recoiled with a look of confusion. “ _What?_ ”

“It’s ‘pasta!’ He definitely said ‘pasta,’ la! Anti must like the pasta a lot! Is pasta your favorite food, Anti? I’ll get you lots and lots of pasta, la!” 

Bursting into laughter, Vanessa fell off the couch as Luck’s smile softened.

“Pasta, huh. Once you get even more in shape, Anti, let’s fight over it!”

Magna sputtered. “What?! No, don’t do that! That’s a terrible idea!”

Finral felt his heart clench, and a tear might have slipped down his face. Quickly wiping it away, this strange burden on his shoulders was temporarily released. Perhaps it was guilt, the reason why he was willing to spend so much time on Anti. His and Miss Finesse’s visages would overlap, and consequently, Langris would come back to mind.

The kid really grew on him. 

Covering his face with a hand, Finral laughed to himself. 

This was truly a milestone... For both this group of rowdy hoodlums, and for the young boy who stumbled upon them.

A milestone.

(He should really face him one day, right? His younger brother, who all of Vaude’s responsibilities and expectations were buried onto. His younger brother, who was always steered away from the idea of simple days and fun.)

Gentle laughter sounded within the Black Bulls’ hideout. 

It was a slow and peaceful day in Clover.

* * *

“... Oi, what are ya standing there so suspiciously for?” In the surrounding forest of the hideout, Yami stood across from Vangeance, who really stuck out like a sore thumb with his fancy outfit. 

After the whole ordeal with pasta, Yami went out for a walk and a smoke. That, and he felt a certain someone’s familiar ki. Slightly weirded out by the thought of that man loitering around his place, he decided to go confront him. 

“My, I was only passing by,” Vangeance said with his usual smile. Said smile looked shady as hell, but after some tough decision making, Yami decided (for once) not to comment on it.

Lowering his cigarette, Yami exhaled. “Passing by, eh. Busy or something?”

“Or something,” the other stated simply. Because of his mask, shadows were cast over purple eyes. It had been some years, Captain Goldy never changed… Such a weird fellow.

A few seconds passed without anything happening. Both of them merely stood across from each other, neither of the two moving. 

Yami drew another breath from his cigarette. 

…

Noticing a shift in the other captain’s body language, Yami blinked slowly.

Oh. 

Captain Goldy was feeling awkward.

… Well, that was rare. 

Deciding to help a pal out, Yami restarted the conversation. “So?”

“Ah… Well,” Vangeance cleared his throat. Even though his smile never dipped down, Yami could hear pure awkwardness bleeding through his oh-so-soothing voice. “The child… Anti, is he referred to now. How is he?”

…

“He good.”

“Ah.”

A pause.

“That all?”

Another pause.

“... Yes, that is all. Good day to you, Yami.” 

Yami nodded. “Cool.”

As Vangeance turned away to leave, Yami absentmindedly recalled that it was the Golden Dawn that found Anti a year or so ago… Something about a skirmish at the Diamond Kingdom border. However, before he could say anything about it, the other was long gone. What a fast person.

Taking another breath from his cigarette, Yami glanced up to the skies above.

That being said, Anti sure had some good reflexes when in battle-mode… Fighting without any wasted movements despite his weak, scrawny body? No magic to boot, and of course, Anti-Magic? That was really something. 

Across the year and a little more, there had already been many incidents with his left hand during his stay in this brigade, but Yami wondered… What if Anti could fight like that _,_ even without being triggered to do so?

… Hm.  
  


Marx dropped all the documents in his hands as Julius laughed weakly. It was a bright and sunny day, rays of light entering the Wizard King’s office.

“They took him to a freaking _mission?!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you notice the tags changing 24/7... I apologize, I am still trying to figure it out, haha. Please expect it to keep changing for a little more. I hope the story was enjoyable so far!


	7. Images of Tomorrow

“Keep it up, Ladros! Adjust your footing!”

“Y-yes, Teacher!”

Wooden blades clashing against each other, the blazing sun was raised above the children of Diamond. It was the training grounds designated for this group of students, chosen by the young instructor who diligently looked after his pupils. 

Drill ending, Mars once again reaffirmed himself as one of his best students. While Ladros still had some more work to do, with his kind heart, he was sure to reach high places in the future. 

Fanzell Kruger, ex-military commander, was a proud teacher. 

Wiping sweat away with a towel, Fanzell stretched his arms as he walked off the platform. The weather was good. Slightly humid, but still good. Attention averting to the far end of the training grounds, a big smile reached the young teacher’s face. 

Stepping forward, he called out. “Hey!”

The figure from afar jolted in surprise. Slowly turning around, blue eyes were met with hesitant green.

“Ah… Zell.”

Beside one of the stone pillars, there sat a small boy with pale-grey hair. 

The boy was nine years old. 

Fanzell, for your information, was only twenty two.

* * *

Young children in the military weren't rare. In the past, there used to be a stricter age limit, but with the ongoing aggression with Spade and the skirmishes against Clover... Diamond became more desperate. 

Children like Mars and Ladros, who were orphaned by the war, were taken in by the organization. Mars was only ten at the time… He was now thirteen. After some observation, Fanzell found it slightly odd how all of his pupils had a higher average of magic power compared to normal civilians. An odd coincidence, he would like to assume, but for now… His duty was to oversee these children.

As for _that child_ , Fanzell stumbled upon him during one of his training sessions. At the time, he was helping Ladros with Reinforcement Magic when he noticed the timid silhouette of the child. Even though he was wearing the same standard all-white clothes as his students, Fanzell never saw him before.

_A new student…?_

No one informed him of one, however. Fanzell frowned.

It was strange, too. The former military commander wasn't able to register his presence until he saw him through sight, which was odd for he had pretty decent mana sensing abilities.

… A manaless child?

The thought itself was strange, but if that was the case, then… 

“... Hey, Mars,” at the call of his name, Mars looked up. “Do you recognize him? The boy over there.”

His student blinked slowly before gazing towards said child. Lips pursed, he pondered a little before responding. Likewise, Ladros had a complicated expression on his face. 

“I saw the scientists taking him in, earlier. I’m not sure who he is.”

Fanzell nodded slowly.

“... I see.”

If it was the Magic Scholars… Maybe they were trying to figure out why the child had no mana, or perhaps… Fanzell shook his head. 

_Don’t think about that for now. He looks terrified._

Telling his students to take a short break, the Wind Magic user stepped off the platform. 

“Hello,” he said with the wave of a hand. He tried his best to come off friendly. “Are you new?” 

Wide, green eyes glued to the ground, the older watched as the child fidgeted under his gaze. His tiny hands at his chest were clutching something very tightly. Frowning, the older man wondered what he was holding. 

A few seconds passed without any vocal response.

“... Hey,” smiling, the twenty-two year old mage gestured to the side. The training grounds Fanzell chose were closer to nature, so there were many good spots to rest. “Why don’t you sit over here? You can watch us.” 

Hesitantly, the boy slowly looked up to meet his eyes. 

… The eyes were also known as the windows to the soul. This child… Fanzell could tell. It was similar to the eyes of those before they fell by his sword, but at the same time, it was different. 

Experience in the field gave the ex-commander a deeper look at reality, and reality was sometimes very cruel. It didn’t matter whether you “deserved” it or not. Fanzell learned that the hard way.

Nodding curtly, the child slowly walked over to the spot Fanzell motioned towards. Still standing, he hesitantly looked back up from the ground. Fanzell offered him a small smile.

The instructor knew for a long time. These battles and wars, not to mention the king’s rapidly deteriorating health… Diamond, wastelands compared to the flourishing Clover, fought to get more resources and land. Yet at the same time, all this fighting could wound up breaking this kingdom that was once warm and kind. 

Gaining the trust of those who were harmed was very difficult. Not impossible, but without endless patience and stubbornness… Most would give up on the long run, especially once it began to harm the one trying to extend a hand. Helping others took a lot, and the scary part was whether or not it actually _did_ help… That would remain unknown. Perhaps forever.

_Not to mention this kingdom and how it’s like now..._

… But in the end, Fanzell retired for the sake of guiding. Or rather, it was his own selfish decision. The irony was that despite not fighting in the front lines anymore, he was now training the ones that would become Diamond’s future. However, with all these experiences he complied… Fanzell hoped something worthwhile from that could be passed on to these children.

 _That child_ , he thought, _included_.

It was worth a try. 

Turning around, he noticed how Fana had long gone to approach the child with her friendly and bright attitude. He also noticed how _because_ Fana went ahead to approach him, Mars followed suit as well. 

Fanzell blinked dumbly. 

...

Well. That wasn’t too bad, either.

* * *

A sudden fist connected with his face as Fanzell was blown away to the wall. 

“... Dear, was that necessary…?”

“Necessary? _Necessary?_ Don’t you know how long I was waiting over here?! Fanzell, I told you to get here nine sharp! It has already been ten minutes! Were you trying to give me a heart attack?! I swear!” The one who threw the fist was Dominante Code, a feisty witch who Fanzell one day met and fell in love with. Because their relationship was a secret, they had to meet in secret as well.

“Now, the dishes I prepared! I made a new recipe, try it out!” 

… That was quick. Getting up from the ground, Fanzell happily accepted the offered food. 

It smelled delicious. Warmth reaching his nose, anything Domina cooked tasted good. The two watched the starry skies above as they enjoyed the meal together. 

“I’ll admit, while going out secretly like this _is_ romantic,” the witch sighed, “it would be nice if we don’t have to worry about getting arrested every five minutes.”

Fanzell chuckled. 

“I agree.”

“How do you imagine the future?”

“Hm?”

“Do you think we can still continue on like this?” Domina’s gaze remained at the skies above. Humming, Fanzell turned back to the bowl in his hands. 

He shrugged as a sad smile reached his face. “I’m not sure, either.”

They were all thoughts that would come across the mind. 

Taking a seat beside the boy, Fanzell gazed up towards the blue of the skies. A good exercise always brought about good feelings, and a moment to relax was always nice. The pale-haired child was picking at the stray grass by his feet. 

The boy wasn’t exactly talkative. Fanzell hadn’t got his name, as well. 

Tomorrow came in many shapes. The term itself was a very strange concept as well, but at the same time, it was also very simple.

It stayed that way for a few more days. The unknown child would be dropped off here unannounced, and Fanzell continued to teach his students. During breaks, Fana would eagerly try to befriend the boy. Fanzell wasn’t sure if her approach was working, but there was no rush when it came to bonds and relationships. 

Suddenly, watching Ladros working very hard with his magic control, the young instructor had an idea.

During breaks between each session, together with those two pupils, Fanzell decided to teach the boy how to wield the sword. 

_For defense, of course. And use it only to protect._

_… Okay,_ the boy agreed, his gaze slowly turning back to the ground. Fana smiled in encouragement. Mars gave him pointers. Ladros, shyly, sometimes would join. He gained a small connection with the boy after learning that he had no signs of mana.

The boy stumbled a lot, a bit bewildered about holding a weapon despite it being wooden. He could only used one hand, too, due to obvious reasons, but it didn’t hinder too much on his own learning. Watching him from the corner of his eye during the lessons, Fanzell could see that the boy was looking more and more forward towards each session. 

It was encouraging. Kind of inspiring, as well. The slowly becoming bright eyes left a warm feeling in the ex-commander’s heart, and with that in mind… He quickly shook his head at the thought. It made him sound old. 

One day, very casually, Fanzell asked for his name. The boy clutched whatever that was in his hand tighter.

“Sorry,” he whispered after a little.

“... It’s okay,” with a reassuring smile, Fanzell replied softly. “You can call me ‘Zell,’ by the way.”

* * *

“I have Flame Magic,” Fana explained. A gentle smile was on her lips as she had tiny embers dancing in her palm. “Mars has Mineral Magic!”

“You probably saw,” Mars added. “Earlier. When you were watching us…”

“... Oh,” the boy nodded slowly. His back was against the pillar behind him, they were all sitting together on the ground.

“Um… So you _really_ don’t have magic?” Ladros bravely asked. “Like, none at _all_?”

The boy shrugged. At the motion, he suddenly winced, his entire body tensing. Quickly putting a hand near his left shoulder, Fana summoned her Phoenix Fire. 

The boy’s eyes were incredibly wide as the pain in his shoulder slowly subsided. Gaping at the girl, Fana giggled lightly. 

“It’s… Probably not that helpful, actually,” she said, eyes slightly downcast. “It’s only the pain and maybe a few scratches or bruises… But once I get my grimoire, I might be able to heal any injury!”

The boy continued to gape, right hand reaching slowly to his left shoulder. A second or two later, he finally closed his mouth and nodded firmly. 

“... It… It feels a lot better,” he quietly stated. “A lot better than before.”

A pause later, Fana smiled brightly in relief.

“I see… I’m glad!”

“... What is… Zell’s magic?”

“Hm?”

“Zell’s…”

Ladros blinked. “Oh, Teacher’s? It’s Wind. Did you see the cool sword he would make with a stick? It’s Wind Magic.”

“... Wind?”

The older beamed with happy pride. “Yup!”

The boy nodding slowly, he glanced down to his closed fist. 

“Hey, do you remember your home?” Fana suddenly asked. Mars stared at her with wide eyes. He was pretty sure that was something that should not be asked so easily. “Where you came from?”

“... I don’t know,” the boy admitted. He looked a bit sad. 

Fana made a small hum. “I used to live at a village along the border, but because of the war we had to move. Say… Do you have anyone important to you? Any faces you can remember?”

The boy’s face soured at that. Seeing that, Mars panicked. Fana was asking too many questions, Fanzell earlier had told them to give him space—

“... I do,” he replied with a small voice. “But I don’t want to remember.”

Ladros looked very awkward in this tense situation, he probably didn’t expect it to turn out this way. Glancing at Fana, Mars noticed how she doesn’t seem to back down. The look on her face... Mars couldn’t read it. He was beginning to worry.

“Tell us about it,” Fana simply stated. “And then you can choose if you want to let go.”

The boy stared at her for a very long time. The expression he was wearing was kind of amazing.

“... Let go?”

Fana nodded. “Not the crystal you’re holding, of course,” the boy quickly drew back with his hands protectively holding said crystal (Mars and Ladros both did not realize that he was holding such a thing), “but the feelings that are weighing you down.”

“Weighing… Me down?”

Fana nodded again.

“ _Are_ there anything weighing you down?”

Before the boy could answer, the children were called back for training. Fana ( _and_ Ladros) looked slightly disappointed, but they got up and made a quick “see you soon.” Mars stood up a bit slower. Glancing to the younger kid, he pursed his lips.

“... Um, sorry about Fana…” Toes curling inwards, Mars fiddled with the edge of his shirt. “But… If you want to talk, or feel the need to… You can talk about it. Everyone here… Maybe we could relate, I guess.”

Turning around, Mars quickly made his way back to the platform, where all the other students were waiting. The boy, left alone at his usual spot by the stone pillar, stared after them.

Gazing towards the sky, his bottom lip wobbled.

Trusting was hard.

Believing was difficult.

* * *

Fanzell recalled the moment he and Domina first met each other. At the time, Fanzell was still a military commander leading his army, but at the edge of the Witches’ Forest...

…

Dominante Code was a kind, enthusiastic person. They got along quickly, and apparently, she didn’t really like her life at the Forest. Thinking about that, for both the boy and those children… And then himself.

Were they content with how their life was right now?

One day, the boy suddenly asked him a question. It took the instructor off guard, but he listened nevertheless. The both of them were sitting side by side, watching the sun as it dipped into the horizon. It took a bit to recollect his thoughts, _but_ thinking back, Fanzell hoped his answer was good enough for the child.

 _Can I trust you_ , the boy had asked.

From the child’s mannerism, Fanzell could tell he was very unsure of himself. And then… The way his hands were gripping tightly together… 

Perhaps he was praying as well.

“... That is up to you to decide. Whether or not I am trustworthy… Whether others are as well. But no matter what you choose in the end, encounters and partings are really just two sides of the same coin.” 

Gazing ahead, a small, tired smile rested on Fanzell’s lips.

“Life is a series of coincidences. We have to appreciate the people we meet… No matter the good or bad. To give a brighter look on the things we have no control of… And then potentially, do something about the things we deemed unfair.”

Fanzell remembered the battles, silly skirmishes where people died left and right. Diamond used to be a kind-hearted kingdom.

When Fanzell was a kid, he remembered how beautiful this kingdom was.

… So yes, Fanzell was not happy with how things were like right now. Diamond… 

Diamond changed.

Green eyes were soft and near in tears. 

Noticing the child’s distress, Fanzell blinked slowly. “... Kid?”

“... Sorry,” frantically wiping away the tears with the back of his hands, the boy hiccuped. “I’m sorry.”

 _Hey,_ Fanzell wanted to ask. _Do you still remember where you came from? Do you… Remember anyone, from your past?_

“I want to trust you, I really do,” the boy said, voice trembling. His hands were still clenching on the object he was holding as if his life depended on it. “But I can’t.”

A gentle beat later, Fanzell’s eyes softened. 

“... That’s alright, as well.”

Like the boy, the children all had darkness within their hearts. Diamond took advantage of that, and the adult soldiers… Their egos were fed. After meeting Domina, it was as if a spell on Fanzell was broken instead.

 _Magic Scholar Morris_ , Fanzell Kruger thought with a look of graveness. _What are your intentions?_

Another batch of his students were taken away. Ladros was among that group of students, and then Mars and Fana were transferred as well. They brought him another group… One of the students, a young girl named Mariella, regarded him with high respect.

And then—he never saw him again. The boy with the green eyes.

The kid who asked about trust.

 _Magic Scholar Morris_.

_What are you planning?_

The Diamond Kingdom was no longer the kind-hearted place he loved. It wasn’t for ages, and Fanzell finally acknowledged that fact. The king had gone crazy, shadows were spread. The orphaned children were not because of the war—their families were probably murdered due to the fact those very children had vast magic power. Fanzell knew. 

_War orphans?_ Some might still be. But, for those like Ladros—and then Mars, Fana. So many of them.

_How many were deliberate? And what of that boy?_

“I’m done with this kingdom,” Fanzell found himself saying. Domina met his eyes. 

Lips pursed, she nodded. 

In another world, they would’ve left later. Much later. But the thing was… Tomorrow came in many shapes. The term itself was strange as well. But for the sake of this kingdom he once loved… For the sake of the children he left behind. He would come back. 

Mariella was ten. Fanzell was now twenty three. 

They ran.


	8. Beginning of a Journey

It was nighttime. Knees scraping against wooden planks, Yuno sniffled a bit before pulling his legs to his chest. Cold and dark, it felt as if being trapped in a box. A very small box.

Tears threatening to spill, Yuno sniffled again. 

Where was everyone? Could they not find him? Was this place too hard to find…?

He hiccuped. 

Tears rolling down his cheeks, Yuno felt himself panicking. The sun was still up when they were playing hide and seek, but now it was all dark. This was just the old tatoe storage house, shouldn’t they be able to find him? And to begin with—this _was_ the storage house, right? Was Yuno mistaken?

 _No, no, no_ , Yuno squeezed his eyes shut. A whine began to escape the back of his throat.

_I’m scared. Someone, please find me. Please, I don’t like this…!_

“Yuno!” 

Eyes of gold widened as light broke in, a pale hand reaching out to grab his own. With a grin, Asta laughed. Bright green eyes were twinkling.

“So here you are, Yuno! Geez, you’re really a big crybaby, huh! Everyone’s waiting, let’s get out of here!”

“... Asta,” the warmth of Asta’s hand was very comforting. It was like a touch of sunlight. Asta was always there, no matter how sad or lonely Yuno would become. Asta was his best friend. A small smile reaching Yuno’s face, he let himself be pulled forward—

Yuno woke up to the sight of a dusty, wooden ceiling. 

…

“Big Brother Yuno!” Hollo’s face emerged into the older’s line of sight as Yuno slowly sat up. Staring at his youngest brother, he placed a hand on top of blonde hair and ruffled it gently. 

“... Morning, Hollo.” Hollo beamed at him. 

Outside, birds were chirping with the morning sky. Hollo hopping off of the old mattress, Yuno followed suit as he woke up their still sleeping siblings. It was a bright day in Hage.

On the small wooden table sat a pale-green grimoire. 

After a few, Yuno grabbed for it.

It was the beginning of a new day.

* * *

“Yuno is the pride of our village!” Hage, busier than ever, was a village out in the sticks. Villagers coming by to visit the church (and more specifically, Yuno, the one chosen by the Four Leaf), Yuno’s facial expression remained still with the thought of _you can’t be serious_.

Tatoes. So many tatoes. He was about to depart for the city, but there were a lot of tatoes. 

“Some more tatoes for you, Yuno!” A cheerful aunty shoved a basket into his arms. “Show the people at the city what you’re made out of! You’re going to do great, I know it!”

“... Thank you,” handing it over to Nash, the younger quickly delivered the basket to a delighted Father Orsi. 

Six months have passed since this year’s Grimoire Awarding Ceremony. With the fifteen year-olds receiving their book of spells, it brought about a new journey for the next generation of Clover’s mages. Those of this region were very excited in particular. With the passion of joining the Magic Knights, actually witnessing one of them being chosen by _the_ Four Leaf boosted up everyone’s morale.

In short, it was a miracle.

In other words, it was pride. 

Everyone knew Yuno was hardworking and a genius in magic—if anyone was going to succeed, it was _Yuno_. Yuno of Hage.

And Yuno might really become the Wizard King one day, proving the world that even if you were an orphan, even if you were poor…

You could still become someone great.

“Yuno,” turning around, gold colored eyes met with Sister Lily’s blue. The nun beaming at him, all of Yuno’s foster siblings were gathered with big grins plastered on their faces. Father Orsi looked near in tears. 

“Sister,” Yuno responded, and Aruru and Hollo tackled him with a hug. Recca laughing, she joined in as well, albeit much gentler than the younger two. 

“I’ll miss you,” Recca said with a small smile. Her thin arms wrapped around Yuno. “Write lots, ‘kay?”

Yuno nodded. Glancing at Nash, the younger boy fidgeted a little before joining the group hug. The five of them remained that way until they finally let each other go. Aruru and Hollo had yet to fully understand the concept of “see you soon,” but for Nash and Recca, they knew it would be long until they could see their biggest brother again.

“... Say, Yuno,” as Sister Lily handed over a small bag containing food for his travel, her smile tensed a bit before she continued. “Could you… Maybe, smile for your siblings?”

Nash drew back with a look of confusion. “Big Bro Yuno smiling? Sister, that’s a really weird image, y’know.”

“Geez, Nash!” Bursting into laughter, Recca wiped a tear away before nudging her younger brother with an elbow. “That’s really mean, Yuno’s got a real soft heart! Right, Yuno?”

“... Recca…” Yuno remained impassive, stealing a small glance at the sister.

Sister Lily looked worried, but her worry was covered with her usual smile. Yuno stared at her for a bit before glancing at his younger siblings. Averting his gaze back to the nun, his eyes softened just a little bit before replying.

“... I will write a lot.”

A small pause later, Sister Lily nodded. She smiled brightly. “... We will look forward to them!”

… They all knew that this day would come.

“Yuno. Careful on your journey, alright?” Father Orsi said with a firm hand on the teen’s shoulder. “We’re proud of you. All of us.”

Yuno nodded. 

They all knew, they really did.

“... And remember, this place will always be your home.”

Yuno nodded again. 

“I will.”

Pulling into another embrace, they all almost didn’t want to let go. Yuno had lived his entire life in this village, it was also hard watching a child leave the nest. But in the end, his departure was inevitable. This was Yuno’s dream, and this was also the start of a new journey. Who were they to stop him from going?

Turning on his heel, Yuno began to depart, bag over his shoulder and grimoire secured by his waist. Turning back one last time, he raised his hand and waved.

Hage waved back.

“Have a safe journey!”

* * *

Across a decade, Hage grew. So did the villages nearby, as well, but it was a slow and steady growth. Getting the money to support everyone was already very difficult, so it was a surprise itself when the villages began to change. Ten years ago, a spark was lit within the hearts of hard workers, and the peasants all joined hands to make their living quality better. Most villages around Hage were now in support of its cause; Hage was at the center. 

None should underestimate those who worked hard.

The journey between Hage and Kikka should be long. Knowing that, Yuno carefully followed the map and instructions the kind master of the Grimoire Tower, Drouot, gave him. The journey itself was also very quiet, so the young mage let himself be accompanied by the small animals that would sometimes join him. 

A gentle breeze. Walking along the river bank, the teen called upon the wind. A meal for the day was obtained—the fish that was flopping around his feet. Hitting the sparking rocks together, he got himself a small fire. Watching the fish being cooked, Yuno wished he could bring what he hunted back to the village. Eating tatoes for each meal couldn’t possibly be healthy… But at the same time, Father Orsi’s dishes were very endearing. 

Resuming on his journey, within these days of traveling, Yuno earned himself some new spells. 

No time would be wasted. He trained as he went. Nature all around was beautiful and serene.

Very serene.

… It was also very quiet.

 _A Four Leaf Clover?_ The entire Grimoire Tower had gone silent in awestruck. There hadn’t been another Four Leaf since the First Wizard King, yet on this special day, Yuno was granted the same great fortune.

_It must mean something._

When the book found itself hovering about his hand, something strange twisted in Yuno’s chest. He wasn’t sure how to describe the feeling—it was strange yet familiar at the same time. One thing he knew, however, was that he didn’t like it.

When a bandit passed by, saying something about taking Yuno’s grimoire and selling it, the adults who accompanied their children to the tower took notice of the silent commotion. Across a decade… The region’s security also became stronger. More attentive.

The problem was immediately settled.

Noticing the angled shadows, the sun was beginning to dip down into the horizon. A night later, the sun rose back up like nothing happened. Placing a hand on the bark of a tree, Yuno gazed ahead. Far ahead was the sight of the capital, towering castles and a breathtaking scenery.

Kikka was in the Common Realm. Up ahead was the Noble Realm.

Despite the fractures of light reflecting off of gold colored eyes, the young mage could not bring himself to feel anything.

… There wasn’t much significance, he felt like. Not that much.

Stepping into the city, all around him was people and more people. From the abundance of magic tools and merchandise, everything about Kikka was different from Hage. Yuno found himself at the colosseum. Lining up behind others, the mage waited.

There were a lot of people here. 

“Next!”

There was an outburst of whispers when he showed his grimoire. Yuno furrowed his eyebrows. Given the number “164,” he was allowed into the colosseum. 

… There were a lot of people.

* * *

Members of the Golden Dawn rarely spoke to their captain. Aside from casual greetings, that was, but to actually have a conversation with their leader was near nonexsistent. Even so, their loyalty and respect remained strong. With all the achievements compiled over years since the beginnings of the brigade, the Golden Dawn reached heights so high it was almost unbelievable. 

This was all under the leadership of William Vangeance, the one said to be next in line as Wizard King. The Captain of the Golden Dawn was the epitome of power and elegance. Everything was done with order and grace, and as members of his brigade, the elites swore to never harm his name. 

“So do you understand, rookie?” Klaus Lunettes, as he introduced himself, said with a huff of authority. Yuno merely stared at him blankly before looking around his room. It was awfully lavish… Much too luxurious. 

Extremely empty. He looked down to the Golden Dawn robes that were given to him, the insignia woven sharply on special cloth.

“... I still don’t understand why a peasant like you was selected for this squad, but since it was Captain Vangeance’s decision, I will respect it. Do not cause any trouble, got it?”

“I have a name, and it’s Yuno,” eyes of gold glancing at his new superior, he regarded him quietly. “Klaus.”

Klaus sputtered, and quickly regaining his composure, he turned away with a 'hmph.' Muttering something along the lines of “not respecting his superiors,” the noble made his way out of Yuno’s room. 

"Be ready by seven. You know where to go."

The door closed, and Yuno was left alone in his room. 

...

He was confident in his skills. Mana was abundant under Yuno’s skin, and he knew how to use it—knowingly, to an extent. If Yuno wanted to become the Wizard King, he would have to choose the best path for that goal. 

If this brigade was as good as the people made it to be, that was. 

Yuno frowned.

… He didn’t expect it, actually. All hands raised when his number was called. Yuno could only stand there, eyes slightly widening and throat running dry.

All nine hands. 

Placing the robes over a chair, the teen proceeded to organize his belongings. There wasn't much—just his grimoire, extra clothes, other necessities and leftover tatoes. It was dark out, but Yuno could see his reflection clearly on the window. 

Walking up to the glass plane, he pressed a hand against it and felt the cold seeping into his palm. As the headquarters was pretty much a palace, there were plenty of lights outside his window. The other brigade members’ rooms, he supposed. 

He stared at his reflection.

Exhaling, Yuno drew the curtains. They were silky… He wasn’t sure what they were made out of. Taking off his shoes, the teen crawled onto the bed and lied down. The bed itself made him think of his family back at Hage... Father Orsi, Sister Lily. Recca, Nash, Aruru, and Hollo. He wondered how they were doing.

… The little ones would love it. This room.

Yuno hated it.

Pulling out his grimoire, Yuno stared at its cover and the bright Four Leaf. Eyes of gold closing, he turned, and the left side of his face was pressed against comfortable (too comfortable) mattress. 

…

 _Asta,_ he thought, and pain panged in his heart. Any memory of his features was fussy, but his name—Asta’s name. Yuno would never forget it.

_This is the first step._

Bright green eyes he tried to remember. Loud and thunderous voice that would scare away any nightmare—

_I will become the Wizard King._

* * *

“So how was this year’s exam? Any more good eggs?” Vanessa took a sip of her alcohol before saying. 

“Eh… It was fine, not too interesting,” Yami yawned. Shuffling across the lounge of destruction, he went ahead and grabbed a bottle for himself. “There _was_ this one kid, but Goldy got him. A pity, really. His magic would’ve been perfect for laundry.”

The witch chuckled. “Is that so?”

“He was really good,” Finral added, pulling Luck away before he tried to rile up Magna again. “I also heard he was from the Forsaken Realm. That being said,” turning around, he smiled. “How are you feeling, Anti?”

“Also a pity,” Yami laughed. “You wanted to go to the exam yourself, didn’t ya? Blame Marx for not letting you, but whatever.”

Raising his bottle, everyone followed suit with their own respective drinks. Charmy eagerly raised her muffin instead.

Anti, donning his new Black Bull robes, blinked slowly.

“Congrats, kid!”

“Now, where the hell’s that Noelle? Didn’t I say everyone has to be here by nine?”

Finral quickly stood up. “I’ll go get her!”


	9. That Village

_Do you sense anyone?_

_… One. Just one._

William opened his eyes. Kikka was busy with excitement for the annual Magic Knights Entrance Exam. All Captains were on standby as potential Magic Knights made their way into the venue. Glancing to the side, a small smile was brought to his lips. To think Yami actually made the effort to attend on time…

 _Though it doesn’t really matter since he got lost either way_ , Patry’s thoughts bled into his. _To the restrooms, no less._

William let the thoughts be. 

Preparations all readied, the Captains stepped past the curtains. Bright light flashed with the glare of sunlight. Almost immediately, an outburst of cheers sounded throughout the entire colosseum. 

“Thank you for waiting, invited examinees,” William began. “I am the one in charge of the exam this time.”

The cheering intensified, and William felt Patry watching through his eyes.

_Do you see them?_

Opening his grimoire, the Captain of the Golden Dawn summoned his World Tree. 

_… I do,_ Patry led his gaze to a young mage with black hair. _It’s_ —

A sudden pang in his head—William stifled back a wince. World Tree vanishing back into the clouds, he let the exam instructions be heard loud and clear. All examinees were provided brooms for the first test. 

Yami was giving him a sideways glance as he spoke. William paid him no heed. 

Observing the examinees, the Captain of the Golden Dawn took mental notes on each of their capabilities. Even though they would not end up in the Golden Dawn, he considered their potential in other brigades. One examinee had good mana control; however, his use of magic was far too weak. Another showed promise in Creation Magic… Bronze Magic, was it. William smiled sadly.

They would surely flourish under the guidance of other Captains. Then again, that was if they managed to get selected. A few of his colleagues already looked as if they were losing interest… Specifically Jack and Yami. Dorothy always slept, and despite Nozel’s professional mannerism, there was no doubt that the thought of “I should be doing something more important than wasting time here” within his mind. William wanted to chuckle. 

The boy with the rumored Four Leaf, William kept most of his attention on him. He was… Superb. 

_The amount of training he must have gone through… Without guidance, from what it seems. His control is still slightly rough in the edges._

William’s smile grew as the exam progressed. Inwardly, however, he was frowning. The pain earlier… It was eerie. Patry hadn’t spoken up afterwards, but an image of the past briefly flashed in William’s heart before dissipating. William knew the identity of the one within the Four Leaf boy.

… Though, as Patry understood, William was not willing to only look at him as the vessel of Licht’s child. As for the pain… He would think about it later.

During the selection, all nine Captains raised their hand for number 164. 

Naturally, the boy joined Golden Dawn.

* * *

Two months passed in steady beats. In the Golden Dawn, new recruits were mainly in charge of less important paperwork and other errands. Waking up everyday at five, Yuno got up to train in the surrounding forests. Even though there _were_ designated training grounds within the base, the teen had always preferred the natural environment.

Wind cutting through stone, a hawk was summoned with the flick of his wrist. Yuno was getting better at using various spells at the same time, but it was not quite there yet. 

… It was never there. He had to get stronger, better, and the fastest way to _get_ better was through experience. Actual experience. The Golden Dawn was stiff and filled with proud people. Most were nobles, not to mention the one other new recruit who was royalty... Yuno found it suffocating.

He would never say that aloud, however. Admitting it was the last thing he would do. 

Summoning wind, Yuno made the mana take the form of blades. 

_Focus_ , he thought, and—

“Yuno!” Yuno tried not to jump. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted Klaus Lunettes, his senior Magic Knight. 

There was a leaf stuck in pale-blue hair.

Spell dissipating, Yuno grabbed for his water skin. “... I thought official business does not start until eight. It’s still six thirty, no?”

“... It’s actually seven, and mind your mouth, rookie,” Klaus cleared his throat. “You have a mission. Clean up and report to the office. I’ll go over the details once everything is ready.”

A mission.

Yuno’s first mission.

Acknowledging the other with an impassive nod, Yuno gathered his belongings and began walking back to the headquarters. Klaus, who was quickly left behind, stared after him.

“... Hmph.” He followed.

Magic Knights usually carry out missions in teams—as the affinity of one’s magic with the enemy played major roles in combat, the holes of each mage’s abilities could be covered with another’s strength. For that reason, solo missions were reserved for those with flexibility… A good example would be the Captain of the Silver Eagle’s Mercury Magic. 

Klaus Lunettes, Intermediate Magic Knight, was put in charge as Mimosa Vermillion and Yuno’s mentor under Captain Vangeance’s direct order. The order itself was an unexpected surprise—what in the Wizard King’s name did Klaus do that made his captain think “hey, I think Klaus would do a decent job in mentoring the new recruits” and _had him mentor the new recruits_? He really had no idea. Was it the recent mission he had? Did he earn a star or something? Goodness.

But as a member of the elite squad, Klaus ought to calm down. Think later, mission first. Straightening up his robes, the magic knight tidied up his papers before glancing at his juniors.

Contrary to Yuno’s impassiveness, Mimosa Vermillion had a pleasant smile on her lips. Both, while still young, were geniuses in their own rights. Having observed them over the past two months, Klaus could affirm to that.

That being said… Yes, their first mission.

“Salim Hapshass of the Hapshass House requested escorts for his journey to the Heart Kingdom. We will be dispatching an hour before noon,” handing over the papers, Klaus continued. “Memorize the routes before then. There are chances of ambushes and attacks.”

“Of course!” Mimosa answered with cheerful enthusiasm. Turning towards Yuno, she smiled politely. “I am looking forward to working with you, Yuno. It’s our first mission as Magic Knights! Exciting, isn’t it?”

Sadly, the royal’s attempt to interact with her peer ended with an uncommitted hum. Klaus felt a bit offended even though he was not the one the “hm” was directed to.

The audacity of that peasant… Readjusting his glasses, Klaus kept a mental note to check on the tailors. The uniforms should be ready soon… He held back a sigh.

The Golden Dawn was the best of the best. As their mentor, Klaus would make sure that Mimosa and Yuno would live up to the brigade’s name. As someone who had been in this brigade a little longer than the two, the noble understood the pressure and expectations that came with being a subordinate of William Vangeance, the man said to be next in line as Wizard King.

… But despite the pressure and expectations, they were still Magic Knights. It was their duty and responsibility to guard the kingdom and fight. Yuno’s attitude was still a problem, but within time… 

Inwardly, Klaus sighed. The kid was chosen by their captain, he ought to have faith in him.

Stealing the clock a glance, the Steel Magic user calculated the time and other potential unknowns within the mission. His discussion with the captain earlier didn’t really help with his inner concerns, but the noble would have to make do with what he had. 

Tempted to readjust his glasses again, he managed to stop himself before doing so. 

It was about time for departure.

* * *

“Please do tell me more about yourself, Yuno!” Salim Hapshass said with a pleasant smile. “I believe you want to become Wizard King, no?”

The journey to the Heart Kingdom border was a long one. According to Mimosa, she had once gone there during her childhood with her older brother… An exchange of sorts. The path they were taking was different from the one she took, for the siblings had traveled by sea. Klaus supposed it was because she was royalty.

But then again, the Hapshass House should have had their own Spatial Magic users. 

_Take good care of your juniors,_ Captain Vangeance had said with his usual smile of elegance. 

In the background, Salim was still chattering. 

Yuno looked like he was rapidly losing interest in the conversation he was forced upon with. Then again, it wasn’t like he had any interest to begin with… He wasn’t exactly a social person.

“... I am from Hage,” Yuno stated slowly. Salim made an enthusiastic “ah.”

“Hage, is it! If I recall, the legend of the First Wizard King originated from that little village, no? How fascinating!” The noble clasped his hands together. “I know, let us make a detour to that village! I want to see the place where Yuno was born.”

Klaus held back a sputter as Mimosa blinked. Placing a hand near her lips, the royal frowned. “E-eh? But it’s getting quite late, and there is still a long distance to our destination—”

Salim chuckled, cutting her off. “It is alright! There is still time, and it would do good if we could take a moment to rest! It is quite exciting, do you think we’ll be able to see the Demon’s remains from that legendary story?”

Yuno kept his gaze at the horizon.

“... The skull is visible from there.”

“Fascinating!”

Klaus and Mimosa exchanging glances, the older knight ended up giving in with a sigh. Whatever the case, their mission was to act as the noble’s bodyguards. If Salim so wished to… Make a detour, they had no choice but to comply.

Even if the village was in a completely different direction from their destination.

Klaus considered his discussion with the captain, and meeting Yuno’s eyes, the older nodded. The younger knight looked back towards the horizon after a small pause, and the Steel Magic user hoped he actually received his message.

Steel chariot turning, they headed towards the village known as Hage.

Until they got ambushed by a ragtag team of bandits, that was, and Klaus wanted to drag a hand over his face. At the very least he got to assess Yuno’s current combat skills… 

It was a strange thought. Yuno, who was a peasant, was specifically requested for in this mission by their client. Perhaps the Hapshass House found him interesting because of his Four Leaf Clover, but regardless… It was just strange.

That being said.

Klaus kept his gaze forward.

Hage… He heard about it, too, actually. That village. If he wasn’t mistaken…

A small frown reached his lips.

Salim was also the noble who failed the Magic Knights Entrance Exam, right…?

* * *

Unlike Aruru and Hollo, Nash understood the meaning of “see you soon.” Except, from what it seemed… Even the “see you soon” was way sooner than they all expected. Not that he minded, that was, but it was still an honest surprise.

Watching the steel chariot (it _must_ be some sort of spell, it was amazing!) descend, Nash stared with wide eyes as Yuno stepped down from his broom. There were others with Yuno, but— _still_.

Yuno’s letters across these two months were very short and to the point. They knew he passed the exam (the thought was just so _awesome_ ), but they didn’t know which brigade he got into—was that the _Golden Dawn’s robes?!_

Nash gasped, and with the other children (and Father Orsi), they charged at their biggest brother, arms stretched out and ready to tackle him. They didn’t, but Aruru and Hollo were already clinging onto him.

“Big Bro Yuno!!” 

“Hey,” Yuno simply said. His eyes softened at their appearance. “Just stopping by for a mission.”

Eyes meeting Sister Lily’s, he nodded. “I’m home.”

Sister Lily smiled.

“... Welcome home!”

“My, what an adorable little church!” A lady wearing the same robes as Yuno said. Beside her was a tall man with glasses—they must be Yuno’s comrades. “I am Mimosa Vermillion, Yuno's colleague. It is a pleasure to meet you all!”

“Klaus Lunettes,” the tall man with glasses said. “From the honorable Golden Dawn led by William Vangeance.”

Magic Knights. _Magic Knights_. The smile on Nash’s face couldn’t help but grow. 

Yuno was seriously a _Magic Knight_ …!

“So this is Hage, what a wonderful village!” All from the church blinked as they turned to see the owner of the voice. Standing there was some man with expensive looking clothes. He didn’t seem like a Magic Knight, and when he approached Sister Lily and took her hand, Nash immediately did not like him. 

“He looks like a noble,” Recca commented as Sister Lily’s grimoire opened. Nash looked up at his older sister.

“Noble?” A Holy Fist of Love slammed right into the noble-in-theory’s gut.

“Yup. Remember Yuno’s Awarding Ceremony? There were nobles there. He looked like one of them, just look at his clothes.” 

“... Good point.”

What was a noble doing here with Yuno? Yuno _did_ say that he was here on a mission… Did Yuno’s mission have something to do with this slimy person? Watching as Sister Lily hurriedly apologized to the noble, Nash made a thoughtful hum.

“Weird.”

They later confirmed that he was a noble after some (rather long) introductions. 

“Yuno!” Father Orsi said as he turned around. “How are you?! Are things going okay? I’m glad you seem fine!”

“... Yes, I am fine,” Yuno replied. Aruru and Hollo pulled on his arms.

“Big Bro Yuno! Tell us about the Magic Knights! Tell us, tell us!”

“... Yeah.”

The noble called Salim said they could stay for an hour or so. Hearing that, Father Orsi got excited and immediately went to prepare some tatoe dishes.

Everyone entered the church, and half an hour later...

Klaus Lunettes finally remembered why he was concerned about this village known as Hage. 

Salim Hapshass was the noble whom Yuno defeated during the Magic Knights Entrance Exam. The bandits from earlier… They weren’t targeting Salim at all. Klaus was long suspicious of the noble since then.

That, and everything wasn’t aligned.

According to Mimosa, the safest way to reach the Heart Kingdom was by sea, but it was actually also the _only_ way legally. The border between Clover and Heart was covered in magic traps, exchanges for studying would definitely not happen _there_. 

(“What?! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”)

(“E-eh? Well, I thought maybe Lord Salim wanted to be a bit more adventurous? I _did_ thought it was very strange, though!”)

Next, Salim Hapshass _was_ the noble whom Yuno defeated during the exam… Quite quickly, as well. Prejudice and discrimination was the norm in this country, but the fact that the noble had requested Yuno specifically…

Captain Vangeance must have known. 

_Take good care of your juniors_.

During their tatoe meal, Sister Lily went out to fetch some more water. They continued eating, Salim entertaining the children with his tall tales and hair flips. 

It was about ten or fifteen minutes later when a few of the kids began getting fidgety.

“Father, where’s Sister Lily?” The smaller one (Aruru, Klaus believed) asked. “Sister Lily never takes this long…”

Suddenly, it was as if the temperature in the room plummeted. Yuno stood up, the feet of his chair scratching against wooden planks. Mimosa and Klaus stared after him in surprise. 

“I’ll go find her.”

“W-wait,” Father Orsi quickly said. He was standing as well, but his face was oddly pale. “Yuno, what do you suppose…?”

Before the father could continue, Salim gasped dramatically. “It couldn’t be, was it the bandits who were after me…?”

Klaus kept his mouth closed. Behind his glasses, he glanced at the noble before turning towards Yuno.

“If that is the case, we should depart immediately—”

“No, no, no, that is too dangerous!” Salim cut in. “If a beauty like her were to be harmed because of my presence, that would be so, so horrible! If I have two Magic Knights by my side, I will undoubtedly be safe. One of you should quickly go!”

… _I see._

Wordlessly, Yuno dashed out of the church with a gust of wind. The church’s children all have various looks of distress, the one visibly most scared the father. A few careful beats later, Klaus turned to Salim.

“Lord Salim, Mimosa here is a royal. Her abilities are beyond the leagues of Yuno and I, and with her as your guard, even if you should be ambushed… You will be undoubtedly unscathed.”

Mimosa and Salim both blinked dumbly at his statement. After a little, Salim quickly sputtered.

“H-hold on, what do you mean by—”

“Mimosa, keep guard of everyone in this church,” Klaus said before running after Yuno. Long outside the church, he heard a distant “acknowledged” from his junior. Forcing away a small smile, the magic knight spread out his senses upon reaching the forests.

_Where are they..._

In hindsight, it was painfully obvious… Salim in cahoots with the bandits. Should innocent civilians get endangered because of his pettiness… Well, that would never happen. Captain Vangeance trusted them with this mission to prevent such things from happening.

Sensing Yuno’s mana, Klaus quickly turned on his feet before…

“Huh?”

A ball of fire flew past his face as defenseless-looking villagers trampled familiar bandits. No, the villagers weren’t _that_ defenseless. They looked as if out for blood, and while their spells were incredibly weak, the fact that there were _that_ many of them there… The bandits were screaming in terror as they blindly threw spells everywhere. Klaus watched with wide eyes.

Standing among the crowd was Yuno and Sister Lily. Klaus couldn’t see Yuno’s face from this angle, but the nun… There was a grave look on her face, her eyebrows furrowed and blue eyes fierce. 

Seeing this, Klaus Lunettes finally remembered why he was concerned hearing about this village known as Hage.

The Village of Revolutions, some called it. They were gossips that Klaus would hear as a student in a magic academy. Whispers he _had_ heard even after becoming a Magic Knight.

An annoyance, trouble, and banding of peasants. 

The heart of the peasants.

Hage.

* * *

Bandits restrained and lined up at the center of the town, Salim could only stare in horror at the sorry state of his paid lackeys. 

It was currently late at night. All of the villagers were present, arms crossed and frowns on their faces. At the sight of Sister Lily, the children quickly rushed to her in hurried steps. Father Orsi in particular looked like he was almost about to faint. He didn’t, though, which Klaus supposed was a good thing.

Klaus was… He wasn’t sure how to describe it. The way this entire scenario played out, not to mention how the villagers retaliated and attacked the bandits… 

Mimosa, who stood beside him, had her lips pursed. “... It’s not exactly pleasant, is it.”

“I’ve contacted the Magic Knights Headquarters,” Klaus said to the people. “We will handle it from here. As for Lord Salim,” the noble making a nervous “eep,” the magic knight narrowed his eyes.

Before he continued, one of the bandits suddenly yelled out loud out of hoarse desperation: “It was him! That noble! He’s the one who paid us to do this!”

Salim stared at them with wide eyes. 

… No matter how arrogant an individual might be, they would never be arrogant enough to not notice the obvious danger.

“W-what are you saying? These filthy bandits, saying such nonsense—!”

“At their current state, I really do not believe they would be reckless enough to say nonsensical things,” Mimosa said as she took a step forward. Smiling at the noble, she continued. “But as Magic Knights, we must be careful! I can use my magic to see if these men are lying. Should I try doing so?”

… Mimosa Vermillion was a royal with “abilities out of Yuno and Klaus’ league.” 

Yuno was glaring coldly at the noble.

“Mimosa, do it.”

“Eh? Oh, sure—”

“H-hold it!” Salim yelled. He looked slightly out of breath, face red and drenched in sweat. 

There was silence, and all of the villagers were staring at him with the eyes of disdain. 

“... I’m afraid we will have to call off this journey, Lord Salim,” Klaus settled with saying. “For your safety, of course.”

Falling to his knees, Salim sat there in a daze. He looked as if wanting to yell or say something, but nothing would come out of his throat but a pathetic wheeze.

Inwardly, Klaus sighed. “Mimosa, make sure those bandits’ binds are fully secured.”

Turning towards the villagers, Klaus fell into a quiet pause. He was meaning to talk to them, telling them that the situation was settled and that they were all safe, but...

Their gaze, the villagers were regarding him calmly. Something about the look in their eyes was very… Familiar.

…

 _Oh,_ he thought. 

_Yuno had the same eyes._

It hit him. 

This village… These villagers… They had no faith in the Magic Knights. 

None at all.

...

But, even so…

Pushing up his glasses, Klaus spoke with a steady voice. “... I understand your drive to defend yourself and this town, but as us Magic Knights were present, please leave it to us to deal with them.

“Regarding this incident… We are fortunate enough that there were no casualties, but as we,” he gestured towards his colleagues and himself, “are specifically trained in this area… For your own safety, as well, please trust us.”

It was the Magic Knights’ job to defend the kingdom’s people. True to his words, they were definitely lucky that none of the villagers got injured, but… Even so, the villagers were untrained and as peasants, their magic was undoubtedly lower than the average commoners.

If the bandits were more dangerous… If they were like the terrorist groups that had no qualms of killing innocents… If they weren’t hired _only_ to take out Yuno...

Things would’ve turned out horribly. Klaus wouldn’t accept that. He couldn’t.

“... Sir Klaus,” it was the nun. Blue eyes gazing at the magic knight, Klaus recalled the hardened look in her eyes from earlier as she spoke softly. “We thank you. It is still very difficult for us to believe in the kingdom’s Magic Knights, but since Yuno trusts you,” she nodded to Mimosa, “along with Miss Mimosa…”

Gaze returning to Klaus, she smiled. There was warmth.

“We will have faith in your words. Please do not let us down.”

Fingers twitching, Klaus almost wanted to do the three-leaf salute. Pushing up his glasses instead, he nodded.

“Of course.”

The restrained bandits were taken to custody. Salim was also brought away, his grimoire confiscated and hands bound. Klaus had a feeling that his father would try to bail him with all the money he had... As a noble and a Magic Knight, he understood the inner workings of Clover’s society. 

_But surely… He would be reprimanded. With the Golden Dawn’s authority…_

Glancing back, Klaus saw the children of the church gathered around Yuno. The children were talking with excitement in their voices, but looking at Yuno, Klaus noticed how his facial expression never quite changed.

_So even with his family, he still behaves that way…?_

“That’s the last of them,” Mimosa walked up to her superior. “Sir Klaus, is there something of the matter?”

Following his gaze, Mimosa blinked at the same sight. After a few, she smiled.

“Hage is a small village, but the people here are very welcoming. I talked to them earlier… As a royal, I’m glad to be able to meet them. Everyone from Yuno’s hometown.”

“... Yes, but we have to head back and write our report now,” Klaus said as he turned away. Gazing at the Demon Skull, he held back a sigh.

It had been a long day.

* * *

“I heard from Saussy that they got attacked,” the mayor said sadly. “Old Man Seihi passed away…”

Yuno, who remained impassive, nodded. After the whole ordeal with Salim, the villagers’ attention was averted to Yuno, welcoming him home with open arms. 

Seihi… He remembered the old village chief of Saussy. He was one of the central figures who supported Hage’s cause, a truly kind person.

To think he was killed…

“But before the others got a chance to be harmed, a Magic Brigade came to their rescue!” Someone chirped.

Yuno paused at her statement, and with that, the others began talking as well.

“I think the Order of Magic Knights are improving. These knights here aren’t so bad, too.”

“I heard that one of the Magic Knights used a really cool water spell and shielded the entire village! One of them even had a sword!”

“News spread fast, haha! Seihi wouldn’t want us to stay all somber!”

“Yuno,” turning around, he noticed Klaus. “It’s about time to go.”

Feet rooted on the ground, Yuno nodded slowly. Before he took another step, a comment from Nash stopped him.

“The glasses knight is actually pretty cool,” turning his gaze towards his younger brother, Yuno blinked. The younger was gazing up to the skies, eyes bright and a small smile on his lips. Hollo was sleeping on Father Orsi's back.

“You’re cooler, obviously, but they’re not too bad. Hey, Yuno? I think… I think I want to become a Magic Knight, too,” trailing off, he hesitantly glanced at his brother.

“... Do you think that’s possible?”

A gentle hand was placed on the top of the younger's head. 

“Yeah," Yuno said. "It’s possible.”

A small pause later, Nash grinned.

“Stay safe, alright?” Sister Lily said, and Yuno was reminded of his first departure months ago. 

Yuno nodded.

“I will.”

Standing on top of the Demon Skull was the statue of the First Wizard King. Standing beside the statue, however, was a certain man disguised in Transformation Magic. 

Julius Novachrono, the Twenty Eighth Wizard King. Disguise dissipating, a big grin was plastered on his slightly wrinkled face.

“William’s new kids are truly amazing. Wind Magic, was it? I cannot get enough of this!” 

There was a spike in the flow of mana as Marx’s Communication Magic activated. From the look on the younger’s face, Julius could tell he was very angry.

“Master Julius… Where have you run off this time?! This is getting ridiculous, please come back immediately!” Marx was really such an honest and hard working individual. Julius was very proud of him. “There had been an anomaly—”

“Anomaly, yes?” The Time Magic user swiftly cut in. Gazing ahead, his smile grew. “I have an idea on who to send.”

Both Yami and William’s brigades… They were both truly amazing.

“Now, what other interesting magic is waiting for me to discover?” Marx sputtered at that comment. 

“WAIT. HOLD ON, WIZARD KING—!”

The night ended with the legendary statue standing alone on the horizon. It was a statue of antiquity, watching over its people across centuries and more... And _watching_ over its people, it waited for the day of promise with the thought of faith, hope, and love.

Near the border between Diamond and Clover, a new dungeon was found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *aoi honoo plays*


	10. Dungeon

“Yuno. We’re family, right?”

“That’s right.”

“But we don’t have blood relations.”

“Nope.”

“We’re more connected than people who are, right?”

“Yeah. Where is this coming from…?”

“Well, see…”

Asta laughed. Standing side by side, the orphans gazed up towards where they imagined the capital should be.

The sky was very blue.

* * *

Dungeons. Ancient tombs left behind by people of the old, such places were treasure chests containing relics and valuable magic artifacts. The moment a dungeon should be located, they were immediately put under national control. They were a zone of strange mana and was riddled with lethal traps. Public access was strictly prohibited for the safety of the citizens, along to prevent the magic items to be stolen by the wrong hands.

Some might say that the Grimoire Towers were like dungeons, but the differences between the two were quite obvious. Grimoire Towers, after all, were always maintained by a master, and they were the center of each region of the kingdom. Dungeons appeared at random intervals of time, the place and appearance randomized as well.

This dungeon in particular was found near the border of a neighboring hostile country… The Diamond Kingdom, famous for its magical technology, science, and unethical conducts in experimentation. The tomb itself was shaped like a small city covered by a natural disaster, but it was easy to differentiate the dungeon from the actual cities that were destroyed by natural disasters.

Regardless, the mission was simple: secure the dungeon and the relics. Do not let the Diamond Kingdom take it. 

Klaus’ team was dispatched shortly after receiving a star from the Wizard King. According to the captain, there would be another Magic Brigade’s squad there as well… A three-man team like themselves. Klaus did not care too much about it. 

Whatever the case, the mission came first.

Looming before them was the ancient tomb of old. 

“Mimosa, prepare your spell. Yuno, keep guard.”

“Of course,” the two responded. Grimoires flipping open, the Golden Dawn’s Magic Knights made their preparations.

“Alright,” Klaus said. “Let’s go.”

First they saw darkness. Next was light. Mimosa’s Magic Flower Guidepost activated, the basic layout of the dungeon was memorized. 

Despite a chamber of traps, dungeons sometimes brought truly breathtaking sights. Water flowed disregarding gravity as plant life was spotted between the cracks carving stone walls. Looking upwards, the Steel Magic user observed the mana surrounding them. A majestic place indeed… They ought to be careful.

“I think I caught the mana signatures of our fellow Magic Knights,” Mimosa smiled brightly. “It’s strange, there are only two people… Should we go greet them?”

“Hmph,” the Steel Magic user readjusted his glasses. “No need, our goal is the treasure hall first and foremost. If we were to encounter them, then we encounter them.”

“Eh~ Alright, then,” glancing back to her Guidepost, Mimosa blinked slowly. “Huh... There are also other signatures, but... That is strange, I'm not sure what they are... Traps? But it couldn't be... They don't resemble the rest...”

“What’s wrong?”

Mimosa hummed. “I picked up some odd signals. They might be spells from the enemy kingdom, but I’m not entirely sure... Dungeons are strange, after all.”

Klaus frowned. “Is that so… Regardless what it should be,” he nodded at Yuno, “we’ll just have to get to the center as quick as possible. Stay cautious at all times.”

Wind twirling at their feet, Yuno summoned his Celestial Wind Ark. Traps wouldn’t be placed midair, in contrast to traveling by feet. The surrounding space was dense with warped mana… It must take decent control to cast a spell like that in such a place. As expected of the Four Leaf, Klaus supposed.

“But I am curious,” Mimosa said. “Which brigade do you think they’re from? Our fellow Magic Knights, I mean.”

“No pointless chattering,” Klaus merely stated. Keeping a tight eye on the surrounding oddities (like the floating blocks and swirling mana), the Steel Magic user readjusted up his glasses. “Whoever they are, they must be good enough to be sent in such an important mission. You two are still rookies, so keep yourselves on your toes. The more dangerous the dungeon is, the more valuable the relics are.”

Yuno turned the direction of the Ark as they continued down the hall. Cool air pressing against his face, eyes of gold stayed narrow.

 _Welcome back,_ William Vangeance had said upon their return from Hage. _I was debriefed of what occurred… Excellent work in handling the situation, you three._

While much of his expression was covered by his mask, the smile on his lips was left visible. Afternoon light was fractured by mosaic glass, and the shadow stretching by the Captain of the Golden Dawn’s feet was tinted in various colors.

_Congratulations. The Wizard King has rewarded you three a star for the mission. Keep up your performance._

Yuno remembered saying goodbye to his family. His line of work made it hard to visit home, but he was slightly grateful that he was able to see everyone this one time… Even if it was because of some noble’s ploy. 

Seeing his siblings’ energetic selves was very encouraging. It came to him that he was actually missing Father Orsi’s tatoe dishes, which was a really funny thought.

 _And remember,_ Yuno recalled the day months ago, the moment he was about to head for Kikka. The mage was standing face to face with his family, gentle gusts of wind brushing against hair. 

Recca, Nash, Aruru, and Hollo were full of smiles. Father Orsi and Sister Lily, as well.

_This place will always be your home!_

...

Mana, the supernatural energy that existed in this world and its people. One could compare mana to the invisible light that danced on the fingertips. It was everywhere within this ancient tomb, tranquil and violent all at the same time. 

A sight full of wonder.

Mana was a comforting presence and a guiding hand. Even from a young age, the teen found the natural mana easy to understand. The older folks called it an innate talent he possessed, to be able to handle magic incredibly well. With the mana floating by his side so peacefully, the Wind Magic user found himself nearly closing his eyes.

 _Pay attention_ , he frowned to himself. Shaking his head, Yuno pushed the wind to go faster. 

“... Hm… Turn left,” the Ark turned as Mimosa instructed. The Plant Magic user nodding, her full concentration remained on mana detection.

“Keep going forward.”

They passed by some more floating blocks and strange structures. Almost without any resistance, they reached the end of the path.

… How quick.

The treasure hall was right there in front of them. 

Celestial Wind Ark dissipating, the three stepped down and gazed ahead. A great gate stood towering over the Magic Knights with intricate designs etched on its surface. Flowing water remained pouring down the ancient walls from the ceiling, the ceiling itself like a pool of water. Yuno blinked slowly.

It was… Very grand. 

“That’s amazing,” Mimosa commented with the look of awe. Yuno looked around as Klaus readjusted his glasses.

“How do you think we get in?”

Supposedly there should be a key based on the information they were given on past conquered dungeons. Intel was sacred as not many were actually captured, not to mention the vast differences within each tomb. There were over fifty dungeons recorded throughout this continent, but not all of them had been fully investigated… Venturing through these trap-filled spaces were already very dangerous, but there was no rush investigating tombs that were safe within Clover’s territory.

This one, however, was a different story. Diamond was the direct neighbor, after all. Throughout Clover's history, the Diamond Kingdom kept trying to invade Clover when and wherever, assaulting border cities and forts ceaselessly. A few years ago their attacks _did_ turn a bit quiet, eerily enough, but now it was back and more relentlessly than before.

Compared to the earlier rooms, this area in particular was even more dense with mana. Klaus sank back into his thoughts for a bit, trying to get any ideas from what he knew about these ancient relics. 

Knowledge as a noble came in handy. Mimosa, for she was royalty, should be well informed about this as well—

A cold chill.

Before Yuno and Klaus could turn back, they heard a thud. 

Crystals. There were crystals. Not a trap from this dungeon, a spell—it must be. Crystals had struck Mimosa in full force, tearing through her cloak as she fell forward from the impact. Klaus reached out immediately, taken fully aback by the sudden attack.

Mimosa’s specialty was mana detection, and yet she didn’t notice—!

_Was this the strange mana signature that her magic picked up earlier?_

“Mimosa!”

Yuno stared at the bloodied state of his comrade, the royal girl lying on the ground as she struggled to breathe. Beginning to curl into herself, Mimosa coughed hoarsely. Yuno saw red.

Red was a color of the Golden Dawn’s robes, but there was red even though her cloak was nearly torn into shreds. There was red on her back, and it was flesh. 

“Who’s there.”

A footstep, and then the next.

Gazing up, eyes of gold were met with iron cold. 

“Who in my way,” a low voice said.

“Move.”

…

From what little he could recall of Asta, Yuno remembered his words like a mantra.

_Yuno. We’re like family, right?_

It was summer at the time, sunlight on their faces and merely months away from _that day_. Asta’s face was very blurry, but Yuno could still somewhat remember his eyes… The color of his eyes. 

Green. 

Raising his hand, Yuno summoned wind. A shield of steel was brought out of the ground to block the incoming attacks. 

“Mimosa!” Klaus quickly yelled. “Focus on healing yourself!”

“Ye… Yes…!”

The Diamond Mage’s magic never seemed to weaken. Attack after attack, steel blocked crystal only for crystal to destroy steel. It was a battle of endurance and force, and the first to back down meant defeat. 

_Unless we switch to other tactics,_ Klaus gritted his teeth. Grimoire flipping to another page, steel spears formed at his command. _But this guy… Such powerful attacks... He’s not even using his grimoire!_

_At this rate…!_

“Yuno, you head to the treasure hall!” Crystal shards scattered dangerously as another attack hit straight into Klaus’ steel shield. If handled recklessly, even the debris would be trouble!

Yuno’s frown deepened. “He’s too tough, even you won’t—”

“Doesn’t matter, just go!” 

Missions came first.

The kingdom’s wellbeing always came first… The act of fulfilling a duty. That was what it meant to be a Magic Knight.

...

_Yuno. We’re like family, right?_

_That’s right,_ a smaller Yuno had replied.

 _But we don’t have any blood relations,_ but they were more connected than people who were.

 _Where is this coming from?_ Yuno had asked.

Asta’s laugh was like the bells a traveling merchant once tried selling one day. They were too expensive, and they weren't all that useless, too, so they never bought it. Except... While it was useless, the sound was... Soothing, in a way.

From what little Yuno remembered of Asta, he recalled his words like a mantra.

The enemy’s magic caught Klaus’ leg at a moment’s panic. The senior knight’s eyes widening, once again, Yuno called for wind.

Mana was like a guiding hand.

“No more messing around,” Yuno muttered with a low voice as the crystals trapping Klaus’ leg shattered into pieces. Klaus, dumbstruck by the sudden outburst of magic, stared after him with wide eyes.

Mana was a comforting presence.

Up ahead, the Diamond Mage stood there unmoving. Unblinking eyes were assessing the pebble that came to stand in his way, and the air shifted.

_Wind Creation Magic: Swift White Hawk + Wind Blade Shower._

Yuno clutched his left hand into a fist. Eyes of gold staring straight towards the enemy, wind shot forward with thundering speed. 

_Focus._

_Focus._

_Focus!_

A book with an eerily patched cover emerged by the Diamond Mage’s side. It was a grimoire, Yuno realized.

There was a shadow.

Looking up, a colossal sword made out of minerals hovered above the young mage’s head.

Laevateinn.

* * *

_Not yet_ , Yuno thought.

_I’m not done yet._

Blood oozing from his wounds, the young mage took a heavy breath. He spent years practicing against rock and stone, but in the end, it was still vastly different from actual magic attacks.

Mineral. Crystal.

His direct enemy… The worst affinity he had with.

_But I won’t give up._

A scary nightmare would be the memory of _that day_. 

By theory, “if I were to never give up, maybe _they_ would give up instead.” How pointless was it to think that way. For those in the Forsaken Realm, the safest way was to just back down instead of recklessly forcing your way through. Peasants had less mana to begin with, there was no overcoming obstacles that were leagues over leagues ahead.

Even now, the memory of that day scared him. It was a weakness he wanted to throw away, but instead still kept because of anger and rage. 

He felt guilty. 

Frustrated. Sad. Angry. 

Terrified. 

Lonely.

Skidding back as the mineral sword swung right at him, Yuno summoned a Crescent Moon Sickle that was brushed away effortlessly. Mimosa was still critically injured and Klaus was occupied with a mineral copy of the enemy. The entire situation was bad—

_But don’t give up._

“It’s useless,” the Diamond Mage said. “Just stop.”

Yuno tasted blood. “I’m not stopping.”

“Move.”

Yuno pushed forward. “I’m not moving.”

Sword towering over the Wind Magic user, Yuno watched as it began to fall. Klaus was yelling something, he couldn’t quite hear him.

“Give up.”

On a distant day, a young boy was thrown into snow as the other was strangled by a desperate adult. It was nighttime, the streets of Hage so terribly empty and cold. Yuno’s pendant dangled in Asta’s bloodied hand.

Eyes wide in the present time, Yuno hollered on the top of his lungs. Mana rampaged like violent waves calling for a storm, and in the far past, a smaller Yuno cried—

“I’M NOT GIVING UP—!”

Black.

Something black entered his vision, and suddenly, the colossal sword was sliced in half.

Eyes of gold stared ahead.

Broken mineral blade crashed violently into the ground beside him. In front of Yuno stood a hooded figure clad in black. A heavy sword was held limply in the right hand, the black robes lined with gold. 

... Black. Close to the hooded figure was a dark covered grimoire.

“The Black Bulls,” Yuno heard Klaus say. Breath shallow, the Steel Magic user looked almost as if he was lost in awe.

“It’s the Black Bulls.”  
  


“Well, see…”

Yuno turned to look Asta. It was a summer day, the sky blue above the village of Hage.

Laughing brightly, sunlight sparkled in green eyes. “We don’t have any blood relatives, so let’s take care of the friends we’re gonna meet like they’re family!

“Alright, Yuno?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *amazing dreams plays*  
> [extra illustration (Yuno's part)](https://twitter.com/onigigikun_ko/status/1271603659835445248/photo/1)


	11. The Dweller's Story

“This tomb… I see,” the elf gazed at the symbols engraved into the walls. “If that is the case, I will leave this sword here. It has the ability to absorb magic…

“That way, this tomb will continue to stand... Even if it’s only for a little longer,” he chuckled softly. “The spirit’s magic must really be too strong for this place.”

“Hey, Licht! You done yet? I think there’s trouble outside, humans or something.”

“Eh? Oh, yes. I’m done. We can go back now, Rhya.”

“Great. I’ll go get Lira, better not forget him this time. The guy’s probably doodling somewhere with his scribble magic again.”

“Ahaha… Yes, please do.” 

Five hundred years ago, before _and_ after meeting _those two_ , he had his own set of adventures. From dungeon to dungeon, strong magic regions to the next… 

Licht had his own set of adventures, as well.

* * *

Water swished through the air and encased around Mimosa like a barrier. Yellow eyes blinking, the Plant Magic user peeked out of her Dream Healing Flower Basket, her mana focused on mending raw wounds.

At the sight of a certain silver haired girl, Mimosa’s gaze softened.

“Ah… So it was you,” she whispered with the touch of a smile. “Lady Noelle.”

The battlefield was silent. Colossal blade out of the way, the mineral puppet Klaus had been fighting against broke into smithereens by a lightning spell. Yuno, slowly registering the pain of his wounds, remained still. Blood slowly dripped down from his fingertips.

… The Black Bulls, he heard of them. They had a strange reputation… Not quite good but not exactly bad. The public weren’t sure how to feel about them.

A few years ago, weren’t they once known as the kingdom’s worst brigade?

Standing in front of the Golden Dawn members were three individuals donning the black and gold robes. As an anti-bird flew in and landed on the silver haired Magic Knight’s shoulder, the girl flipped back a pigtail with the flick of her wrist.

The Black… Bulls.

“Ahaha, this one’s definitely the strongest!” The blonde haired one said, a big grin plastered on his face. “He’d definitely been putting a lid on his magic for quite a bit, this is so exciting! Nice call on getting to the treasure hall first, Noelle!”

“E-exciting…?” The silver haired girl echoed with a twinge of uncertainty. Shaking her head, she glanced back towards Yuno and Klaus. “Golden Dawn, right? Well, you’re in luck. We’re joining the fight, so get back on your feet already. Leave Mimosa to me.”

Klaus slowly drew back. 

“I knew there was another team, but… The Black Bulls…?” The Cheery Berserker, Klaus recognized. Not to mention that silver hair… She was no doubt royalty. Noelle, Mimosa mentioned… Noelle Silva, of the House of Silva?

But as for the last one...

Eyes of gold landed on the hooded brigade member. The person had yet spoken a word, only standing there silently with the tip of his sword touching the ground.

The same person was the one who sliced the enemy’s spell in half like it was nothing. 

“Anti!” Luck chirped, hands flexing and Lightning Magic sparking into life. “Let’s go beat up that guy black and blue! It’ll be so fun!”

… Anti… What a strange name.

Yuno felt a shiver—the enemy’s magic… It was becoming more dense. More dangerous. This wasn’t good.

Another colossal blade formed—

It was sliced in half again.

Cheery Berserker leaping forward, lightning flickered as magic encased the mage’s arms. Remaining at her position defending Mimosa, the Water Magic user swiped out her wand and pointed it ahead. A focused look was within lavender pink eyes, and magic was swelling.

A single blade sliced through everything. Yuno watched carefully, left hand holding his right arm as blood began to seep through his shirt. There were strange black markings crawling on the hooded Black Bull’s arm, almost as if pulling the limb along…

Another explosion.

“Heads up!” Luck laughed, shooting a hand forward as it discharged attack spells. Before the Diamond Mage turned around, the hooded knight stepped right in front of him, blackened blade charging straight towards the enemy’s chest—

The Diamond Mage was replaced with a mineral clone. It was cut down immediately, and a blast of water came in like a smokescreen.

The Black Bulls.

This was the Black Bulls.

Mimosa let out a soft, quiet chuckle. She still looked exhausted, but judging from her current state… She was definitely getting better. Good. Klaus on the other hand could not say a single word as the battle before them unfolded, and _as_ it unfolded... A collective realization came to them. 

They weren’t needed at all.

William Vangeance’s Golden Dawn.

An army of mineral dolls came into creation as the Cheery Berserker made a simple “oh” in awe. It was intense, this dragging battle. The Diamond Mage’s magic barely dwindled, but the amount of spells the Black Bulls was forcing him to use… 

There was a strange look on the Diamond Mage’s face. Even though it was stoic as usual, something about it was… Odd.

“What... Are you,” they heard him say. The words came out like a low rumble, but Yuno realized it was directed to the hooded knight. 

Anti remained silent. Yuno noticed how his gaze was towards the ground more than the enemy.

The expression on the Diamond Mage’s face twisting a little, he summoned the colossal sword once more, its shadow spreading intensely across the ground.

The third time he summoned that spell, Yuno realized that it was not a calculated move but rather an instinctive reflex. He was using that very same spell again and again out of the feeling of being threatened. 

Throat incredibly dry, Yuno swallowed. Using his wind to fend off the Diamond Mage’s clones, his eyes couldn’t help but go back towards that Anti. 

He couldn’t see much of his features, but…

…

“What are you,” the Diamond Mage repeated, and for some reason it was like a plea instead. “Who _are_ you, _answer me!_ ”

“He doesn’t need to answer you,” Noelle said, wand pointed carefully towards the enemy. “Just as you have no obligations to stop fighting, he doesn’t have to answer your questions either.”

“But he’s a Magic Knight,” Luck said with a smile. “A very strong one, too.”

The Diamond Mage stared ahead, and the look on his face… Yuno wasn’t sure. There was this sense of desperation, and his stoic demeanor was slowly crumbling. There was something wrong.

Suddenly, a barrage of crystals came charging forward, shooting straight towards the hooded Black Bull—but with a frail right hand holding the hilt weakly, the blackened blade stopped it immediately.

Standing and surrounded by the enemy’s crystals, the magic knight remained unscathed. Something black was forming around his sword, and the Golden Dawn members understood that it wasn’t magic. It felt ominous, strange… 

Almost like a natural enemy.

Magic broke apart. The crystals surrounding the knight were reduced into bits and pieces, disappearing as it vanished into grains. Readjusting his hold on the hilt, Anti bent forward, the eerie aura tying itself around his arm. 

From a distance away, Yuno watched.

The blade struck the enemy square into the torso, and the Diamond Mage was blown away.

* * *

All mineral dolls collapsed. The enemy mage was defeated.

… He was defeated. The mage that the Golden Dawn members had such a hard time dealing with was… Defeated.

Noelle released a breath she was holding as the water barrier around Mimosa released itself. Stepping down her Dream Healing Flower Basket, the Plant Magic user had the spell return to the ground.

“... Lady Noelle,” Mimosa started. “Thank you… Thank you for protecting me.”

Blinking in surprise, the other quickly flipped her hair and turned away. “Of course. I’m your cousin. Don’t get yourself injured like that again, though. You’re a Magic Knight as well, after all.”

With a bright smile, Mimosa nodded. “Yes... I won’t!”

Klaus quickly bound the unconscious mage with a binding spell. Making sure that it was secure, he gave a sideways glance towards the Black Bulls. The Steel Magic user was still slightly… Shaken, but… He sighed.

Whatever the case, the enemy was defeated. He admitted that they were really in a bad position before the reinforcements came, so the Black Bulls’ support was… Appre…

...

... Appreciated.

Pushing up his glasses, he quickly turned around with the enemy mage’s grimoire secured in his hand. It was an odd and eerie design… The cover looked as if patched together. “Yuno, are you alright?”

Yuno slowly nodded. Mimosa had quickly pulled up a bit of Recovery Magic to help his own healing, so all major wounds he had were long gone. 

The Golden Dawn were now standing face to face with the Black Bulls. 

... It was very awkward.

Noelle’s arms were crossed over her chest as the hooded Black Bull’s gaze was staring blankly towards the ground. The anti-bird’s deadpan stare wasn’t very welcoming as well.

Out of reflex, Klaus pushed up his glasses again. 

“Black Bulls… We appreciate the back up, as fellow Magic Knights of the Clover Kingdom. I suppose we are now supposed to get to the treasure hall, now, and secure the relics.”

... He said ‘suppose’ and ‘now’ two times a row. Klaus must be getting nervous.

Mimosa clasped her hands together with a bright smile. “Oh! It came to me that we haven’t properly introduced ourselves to each other. I am Mimosa Vermillion, member of the Golden Dawn! These are my partners, Klaus Lunettes and Yuno.”

The Water Magic user made a ‘hmph’ before replying. “Noelle Silva of the Black Bulls.”

“I’m Luck!” Luck chirped, and patting the hooded Black Bull’s shoulder, he went ahead and spoke for the other. “This is Anti. Hey, do you want to fight, later?”

_… What?_

“Uh, sorry, but… No,” Klaus replied weakly. So the rumors about Luck were definitely true. But… Glancing at the unresponding Black Bull, the senior knight couldn’t help but feel a little concerned. Not to mention…

Now that he had a better look at him, that boy… Those arms of his looked very frail, was he even physically…?

“Are you worried about him?” Blinking, Klaus turned to only meet Luck’s eyes. The Cheery Berserker’s smile was slightly intimidating.

“W-worried? You’re mistaken, I—”

Luck laughed good naturedly. “Don’t worry! That’s why I’m here with Noelle. Anti can take care of himself plenty, too! He’s strong.”

“... O-oh, is that so…” Glancing back at the boy, Anti’s gaze was still cast towards the ground. Klaus shuffled uncomfortably. 

“Well, I suppose we should get to the treasure hall, now…”

“Yeah! Isn’t this exciting? I wonder what sort of dangerous magic items are there!”

Standing in a line parallel to the gate, all of them stared blankly at the structure towering over them. 

A beat, and then another.

… Right, weren’t they trying to figure out how to open this, earlier? Before Mimosa was disrespectfully attacked from behind? Klaus pushed up his glasses with a shaky sigh. He completely forgot about it.

Plopping a hand on the surface of the door, something like electricity danced past Luck’s fingertips.

“Hm… It’s just a huge chunk of mana!” Turning around, he pointed at the door. “Anti, try cutting it down!”

At the sound of Luck’s voice, Anti dragged his feet forward. His grimoire followed, the same blackened blade from earlier emerging from its pages. Yuno stared after him.

The door was sliced open, and the moment the structure broke apart into clusters of mana, everything beyond the gate could be… Seen.

Gold. 

Mountains over mountains of gold were beyond the gate, along with strange artifacts and other treasures as far as the eye could see. Yuno never saw that many gold pieces at one place before. It was honestly startling, even more so than the Golden Dawn’s headquarters. Noticing how the two royals were also gaping in awe, he supposed this kind of thing wasn’t a normal sight for royalty as well. 

He supposed that was a good thing. The anti-bird that was perched on top of Luck’s head suddenly took off, its black wings beating past the hooded Black Bull’s eyes.

Taking a step forward, the two Magic Knight squads began exploring the treasure hall. Klaus was at the side yelling about handling the items with care, but no one was really listening. The room was definitely fascinating, but Yuno was quickly losing interest in it. Perhaps he was getting tired—

Mana was a guiding hand.

Feeling a gentle gust of wind, Yuno blinked slowly. Making a small turn, eyes of gold spotted a scroll sitting on top of this pedestal, hidden in plain sight by the number of artifacts scattered around it.

Picking the strange scroll up, the Wind Magic user stared at it a bit before pulling it open. 

He couldn’t read a single word on the parchment. 

Registering the chattering of his colleagues at the back of his mind, Yuno gazed over the writing before flipping it over. Aside from the strange symbols on the first side, there really wasn’t anything else in the scroll. 

… Huh.

On that note, the symbols written on the parchment began glowing. Yuno stared at it with wide eyes as one by one, the letters all disappeared as if they weren’t there in the first place.

“Yuno?” It was Klaus. “Did something happen?”

“... Uh,” fumbling a little, Yuno went ahead and placed the scroll back where he got it from. “Not sure.”

“... Alright, then.”

Strange things happened. Yuno decided to leave it like that. 

But… The Black Bulls were interesting. While Yuno himself hadn’t exactly met knights from all the other brigades, something about the Black Bulls told him that _these people in particular_ weren’t exactly your conventional Magic Knights. They were interesting. Lightning and Water Magic… Skilled in their own rights...

And then that swordsman. Yuno found himself looking around. Spotting the hooded Magic Knight, the Wind Magic user noticed how he was standing face to face with one of the walls of the treasure hall. The anti-bird from earlier was hovering beside him, and Yuno wondered if that bird was their pet or something.

What was he standing over there for, though? 

_… And why should I care?_

He frowned to himself. Shaking his head, Yuno began to turn away before Luck suddenly jolted, gaze shooting towards the broken gate.

The sound of the Black Bull’s yell cut through the air: “EVERYONE, LOOK OUT—!”

An outburst of magic. Crystals blasted in from everywhere, and Yuno held back a gasp before half of his body was trapped within the enemy’s spell. The Diamond Mage, Yuno realized. He was back—he wasn’t fully incapacitated, this was _bad_.

Yuno caught the sight of fire. 

Fire was flickering around the Diamond Mage’s form, the Diamond Mage stomping forward in a daunting armor of crystal and mineral. Fire. That wasn’t right, one should only have one attribute to their magic—it didn’t make sense. 

Yuno remembered about the patchwork covered grimoire. It was no longer in Klaus’ grasp, the book opened and floating before the enemy mage form. 

The hairs on the back of Yuno’s neck stood up. 

_Use your mana. Use your spells._ His grimoire was completely caged within the enemy spell. It wouldn’t budge—

“The weak die because they are weak,” his ears caught a mutter. “The strong survive, and the weak die.”

Yuno gritted his teeth as dread slowly reached him. 

Mimosa.

Standing before the enemy mage was Mimosa and that Black Bull, Noelle. It wasn’t good, Mimosa was specialized in support—she had neither attack nor defensive spells yet, right? He wasn’t sure about the Black Bull’s abilities, but unless she had some sort of spell that could deal with a dual wielding attribute user…! Yuno noticed how Klaus and Luck were struggling with their own binds. Both of them were caught as well. If that was the case, then aside from those two up ahead, the rest of them were trapped by the enemy’s spell—!

Wait.

Yuno paused.

…

Where was…

A black feather fluttered past his sight. 

Black blade drawn, Anti dashed forward—the Diamond Mage cast another barrage of crystals, ceasing the Black Bull of his approach. Raising his arm, Anti cut through the crystals with quick slashes. He dodged swiftly when another attack came at him.

“The weak die,” the Diamond Mage muttered again. “The weak always die.”

The fire flickered more ferociously. From Yuno’s peripheral vision, he spotted Noelle raising her wand carefully. Before she could cast a spell, the Diamond Mage immediately took notice of her actions, and another barrage of crystals was cast, this time even more intense—

The silver haired mage quickly grabbed Mimosa’s arm and pulled her and her cousin out of the way, both of them tumbling into the ground in their vicinity. Crystals blasting past the two, a bead of sweat dripped down Noelle’s face as the sharp edges of the crystal scratched them barely. 

Quickly averting her attention away from the enemy’s failed attack, Noelle looked up and yelled for her teammate. “Anti!” 

“I am strong… I am fine on my own. The weak should just vanish. They’re not needed—!”

Before Anti turned to the sound of Noelle’s voice, he was suddenly blown away by the impact of a smaller, denser crystal blade.

Yuno stared ahead. He heard a panicked yell from the Water Magic user, the raw magic of the Lightning Magic user crackling.

There was a dangerous look in Luck’s eyes. Electricity flickering, he struggled to move forward. The binds were holding him back, it was too much even for Luck.

Yuno’s gaze remained on the sight of blood.

Splayed across the ground, Anti’s body trembled. Yuno noticed pale hair, but his injury—his shirt was torn. There was this horrible gash across his torso, blood bubbling down and arms arched in a way that he was trying to get up. It was worse than Mimosa’s previous injuries… The wound was too deep.

The Diamond Mage stepping towards him, Noelle yelled.

“Get away from him!” She summoned a blast of water. The attempted attack only splashed off the enemy’s armor, and the Diamond Mage made another step forward.

They had no time. This was no good.

_If only we could use the spells in our grimoires…!_

“I am strong. I am strong. I am _strong_ ,” colossal blade was summoned again. This time, it materialized right above the injured Black Bull, threatening to fall—

The Diamond mage was muttering something, this strange look strangling in his eyes.

Another blast of water. Noelle was trying to extinguish the Flame Recovery Magic. She was trying to take the enemy’s attention away from Anti.

They were running out of time. They wouldn’t make it in time, even if they got rid of the binds. But even so, they had to be quick—be decisive.

_Not yet. Not yet!_

Another blast of water.

Another.

Another.

“Just…” Noelle gritted her teeth, tears of frustration gathering in lavender pink eyes. “Get away from him!”

A nightmare would truly be the memory of _that day_. Yuno reached out, crystal binds shattering as wind cut through the air around him.

 _Let the mana tell you what to do_ , Sister Lily once said to him when he was little. It was a simple advice, there was no one else that could possibly help him with handling his magic. No teacher or resources. 

_Trust the mana._

_I won’t let anyone die._

And time… 

Time stopped.

* * *

The dungeon itself wasn’t all that special. Aside from the fact it hosted a home for one of the Four Great Spirits, it really wasn’t anything special. 

When Licht first visited that place, five hundred years ago, it was an adventure. Patry heard stories about it, simple ones as “the secrets of the dungeon should stay in the dungeon, yes?” As a young child, he enjoyed hearing these stories told by his favorite person. 

“What happened to your Dweller?” Licht blinked slowly at Patry’s question.

“You usually use that one, I mean,” the younger elf clarified. “But this time you used the Slayer.”

After a beat, the elven chief laughed. “Oh! Well, I left it in the dungeon I told you about, earlier.”

Patry stared at him.

“... Just like what you did with the Destroyer…?”

Licht laughed again.

“... Yes. Just like with what I did with the Destroyer. But it’s alright,” smiling brightly, he gazed towards the familiar sight of nature’s fields. “It’s quite alright.”

The dungeon wasn’t supposed to be anything special.

Yuno slowly turned around. There was a tiny figure right beside him, a little girl with wings. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes, and Yuno continued to stare. 

Upon noticing the sword that was paused in midair, the little girl raised her hand to her mouth, taking a slow, deep breath—

A violent blast of wind blew forth as the mineral sword was smashed into smithereens. Yuno stared wide eyed at the scene, the Diamond Mage crashing straight into the wall and healing flames long gone. 

Tumbling down, so did the crystal binds as well. The Diamond Mage’s magic had completely disappeared. This time, the enemy was really…

Yuno looked around. The strange girl was nowhere to be seen. Noticing how his grimoire was opened, his eyes landed on the familiar symbols written on its pages. 

“Yuno, did you… Do that?” Klaus said, his voice breathless and stunned His glasses were slightly crooked, but he made no move to readjust it. Yuno, breath heavy, furrowed his eyebrows. He… Wasn’t sure. That wasn’t him, though. It couldn’t be.

“Anti!” Hearing Noelle’s voice, Yuno turned back to see the two Black Bulls at their squad member's side. “It’s no good, his injuries…!”

“Lady Noelle!” Mimosa quickly stepped forward, grimoire flipping open with haste. “Let me help, I have a recovery spell…!”

Their eyes meeting, Noelle nodded, stepping back to give her cousin some space. Vines wrapping around Mimosa’s torso, the Princess Healing Flower Robe was donned. Kneeling beside Anti, she raised her hands over the gash across his stomach. The boy’s body was shaking, he was still trying to get up…

“Anti,” Luck said, a look of seriousness on his face. When their eyes finally met, the older made a smile. “Hey. Relax, okay? The enemy’s defeated, but you’re very injured. Finral’s going to freak out like crazy, but it’s okay, yeah?

“Just relax. It’s okay.”

After a shuddering breath, the boy closed his eyes, tension leaving his muscles as his body finally relaxed. 

Noelle and Mimosa sighed in relief. Klaus, on the other hand, nearly sighed in relief. 

“That was quite the battle!” Laughing, Luck turned to the silver haired Black Bull. “Hey, Noelle! Earlier… You got better at reading ki, huh!”

Jolting in surprise, the royal girl quickly flipped her hair as she looked pointedly away. “O-of course! I’m royalty, after all!”

Feeling slightly tired, Yuno blinked slowly.

_… Ki?_

“Oh? Nero, what’s wrong?” The anti-bird, Nero, was pecking Luck’s head. Looking up to the bird, an abrupt _boom_ reached all of their ears.

Klaus frowned. “Wha—”

The entire dungeon shaking, the anti-bird’s eyes turned incredibly wide in surprise. The dungeon, they realized. It was—

“The dungeon’s collapsing!” Flipping open his grimoire, Yuno summoned his Celestial Wind Ark. Luck quickly scooped Anti into his arms as everyone ran up to the Ark. “We got to get out!”

Nero, who reluctantly followed, kept looking back at a specific place. This time, Yuno thought, they _really_ had no time. 

Maneuvering the ship though the air, parts of the dungeon began breaking off in blocks and more. It was chaotic, the way this entire scenario played out. Gritting his teeth, Yuno heightened his senses.

_Right now, we have to get out of here, but which way do we...?!_

“That way,” Luck pointed ahead. “I’ll guide you. Follow my lead.”

Yuno’s eyes widening, he quickly nodded. “Okay.”

“Go left.”

“Right.”

“That direction.”

Yuno watched the majestic place around them break apart. Mana rippled violently, and one by one, gravity pulled the floating blocks down. Klaus and Luck immediately blew away the debris that came falling to them. Mimosa was focused on healing Anti’s wounds, so the guiding was left to Luck’s senses. 

These people were the kingdom’s current Magic Knights, and it depended on Yuno to get them all to safety. 

_Let the mana guide you,_ Sister Lily had said.

Yuno pushed the wind forward.

_Hang in there… All of you!_

* * *

Escaping the collapsing dungeon was no easy task. While it was no easy task, they still managed to get out, Klaus breaking the barrier that blocked them from the outside with his steel spear. 

They were met with the quiet view of the sky. 

In the end, in comparison to the wonders of the dungeon… 

Yuno still liked the sky much more. 

The dungeon behind them was completely destroyed, but the familiar sight of the forests brought comfort to the Magic Knights of Clover. Adrenaline running out, everyone was beginning to feel thoroughly exhausted.

But Anti… He was much more injured than the rest of them. They ought to get him somewhere more comfortable. Looking around, the Wind Magic user took a small breath before turning around.

“Let’s get him over th…” Trailing off, Yuno fell into a halt. 

Turning towards her peer, Mimosa blinked slowly. “Yuno?”

… During the time they were in the dungeon, a hood had always been over the sword wielding Black Bull’s head, the robes covering much of his features. During the time they were on their way getting back outside, Yuno’s attention was completely focused on maneuvering his Ark, to get everyone out of these ruins. 

He… He never actually saw Anti’s face. Not closely, not attentively.

He never actually did, until…

Now.

Pale hair. Anti was awake, tired eyes gazing towards the sky. His hood was drawn back, and now that Yuno looked carefully, his robes were slightly torn as well. Around pale hair was a black headband with the Black Bulls’ insignia, but more importantly…

… More importantly.

His… 

…

His eyes.

“... How are his wounds?” Yuno asked Mimosa. 

“O-oh, he should be stable, now. It’s a bit concerning, but… He has a lot of old injuries, but I guess…” Gaze meeting Noelle’s, Noelle quickly drew back in surprise. Cold sweat was darting down the back of her head, before…

“Ah, don’t worry about that,” Luck said. He was always there at the right time. Eyebrows furrowed, Klaus frowned.

“I’m sorry,” the senior knight began, finally addressing his concerns. “I… I don’t quite understand. Even though I do acknowledge that this boy is indeed strong, but… In the Order of the Magic Knights, one’s health should also be taken into consideration when being dispatched. What was your captain thinking when… I apologize, but I am honestly concerned.”

Luck hummed. 

“About that. Apparently it was the Wizard King’s idea, but I dunno.”

Klaus sputtered as Luck continued with a grin.

“Usually he’d be fine, but this time it’s kind of on us, ahaha! Or more like on me, since I’m his senior, but oh well!”

“‘Oh well?!’” Noelle squawked after Luck. “It’s not an _oh well_ , Luck! Anti nearly _died_!” 

Yuno flinched harshly at those words. No one noticed aside from Mimosa.

“Ah… But he’s fine now, right? Anti, you okay?”

Anti blinked slowly before attempting to get up. With Luck’s help, a gentle hand on his back, Anti was now sitting up from the ground. He blinked again.

Luck laughed. “Seems like you’re fine!”

Noelle shot him an exasperated look before giving in with a sigh. She glanced back at Anti.

“... Don’t push yourself too hard, alright? I’m royalty, so I _have_ to look after you,” hands balling into fists, she sighed again. “But at the very least, we all managed to get out. It’s just…

“We really didn’t get any of the artifacts from the dungeon, huh.”

… _Right_.

Staring at each other, Mimosa cracked into a lighthearted chuckled. 

“Wha—Mimosa, why are you laughing?!” Klaus yelped, genuinely confused as Noelle started smiling as well. 

The day was crazy, but it ended somewhat alright. The anti-bird, Nero, was staring silently at what was left of the dungeon.

As for Yuno…

…

“... Was he also recruited this year?” Yuno asked. Luck blinked at him.

“Hm? Oh, yeah. Technically.”

_… Technically?_

Glancing at the Black Bull who continued to sit there, his left hand balled in a fist and right hand less tense, Yuno pursed his lips. He didn’t see him during the entrance exam, but...

“... Is ‘Anti,’” a small pause of hesitation, “his actual name?”

Luck stared at Yuno for a bit, the blue in his eyes deep and calculating.

He smiled.

“Why do you ask?”

…

“No,” Yuno settled with saying, gold colored eyes resigned. “It’s nothing.”

* * *

_Why..._

_Why?_

_The world was dark and suffocating. His heart hurt—everything hurt. He was confused, betrayed, hurt, hurting, so much pain—_

_Flames burst into life as a gentle hand caressed his cheek._

_“If I hadn’t done that… You… Wouldn’t have tried to kill me, Mars.”_

_Fana smiled weakly, blood dripping down her chin and eyes so, very tired. Mars stared at her. He stared at her for a long time._

_“You’re the strongest, so… You were the most likely to survive. So please…_

_“Go see the outside world for me, Mars…!”_

Pink eyes opening to an open sky, Mars quickly sat up.

“Ah, you’re awake?” It was Lotus, his superior. “Look, kid! Well done! Look at all the treasure we got, and it’s all thanks to you!”

A mountain of treasure was behind the older mage. Lotus waved at him with a lazy smile.

Acknowledging him with a small nod, Mars slowly turned away.

A sunset. A sunset, he noticed, and it stretched so far. Gazing ahead, the heaviness that constantly dragged down his mind was near nonexistent.

 _I remember,_ he thought.

_I remember everything._

His teacher, his peers; the lessons, the sceneries. Everything. 

Like a spell in his mind breaking, he _remembered._

 _Fana_. 

“I can’t really use my spell with this thing here, you see… If I touch it, my magic would be sapped away like a sponge. Annoying, really!” Blinking, Mars spotted this rusty sword by the older’s feet. 

That sword…

“Couldja help me a bit?” Lotus laughed good naturedly. “Though you’re still kinda injured, so I think you should heal up first. Clover might send in reinforcements soon, so we gotta be quick~”

Nodding, Mars let his (Fana’s) flames cover himself, all injuries he sustained from the previous battle healing immediately. As he did so, he kept his eyes on the rusted over blade.

It… Was a different sword. Not the one that boy from earlier used, but it was still similar.

… But… 

That boy.

Magicless, without any hints of mana...

… Could he be?

Eyes gazing back towards the stretching sunset, Mars kept his lips pressed in a thin line. If that was the case… It had been so many years. Five… Or six? He couldn’t quite remember, but it was definitely before he got his grimoire. 

“... Lotus,” he started, and his superior blinked. “You saved me. You have my thanks.”

Lotus stared at him. 

He stared at him, and after a few beats, the older man broke into a small chuckle.

“So you actually can say stuff like that… Huh! Well, shall we head back to the kingdom? Diamond awaits, let’s get these treasures back home.”

“... Yes.”

Standing up, the Diamond soldiers prepared to depart. 


	12. You and I

Green. 

Green was the color of Asta’s eyes... Bright under the sun’s light and glittering with the warmth of Father Orsi’s flames. Quick to laughter, his smiles were bright and his yells were boisterous—he wanted everyone to hear that _he was here. Asta was here, too_.

_Because the Wizard King is cool, right? I wanna be cool, too!_

The church building’s shadow stretching over them, they were outside, gazing at the Demon Skull that sat far but close at the same time. Asta, so very bravely, was balancing on top of the wooden fence. His hands were on his hips with a grin plastered on his face. He was beaming at them, and a cheerful laughter sounded from his lips.

The pendant around Yuno’s neck hung heavy. Yuno held it subconsciously. 

_If I become someone important… If I become the Wizard King. I’ll be able to make everyone even happier, right?_

Yuno woke up drenched with cold sweat and dread. Eyes of gold glued to the luxurious ceiling of his room, all the walls around him were rapidly closing in.

Asta… How did he look, again? How did his voice sound like again? Asta had always yelled, there was no way Yuno could forget, right? They were both abandoned at the church on the same day, they were best friends and brothers, and Asta had always been _there_.

His eyes… They were green and full of life. And then? What else?

Yuno couldn’t remember.

He really couldn’t.

_Calm down. Take deep breaths._

_Calm down._

_Just calm down, already…!_

It was quiet. Quiet and lonely.

Cold.

A week had passed since the disastrous dungeon exploration. 

Yuno missed Hage.

* * *

“Oh, you three,” Yuno, Klaus, and Mimosa looked up from their meals. It was morning, the Golden Dawn’s cafeteria busy with brigade members coming in and out for breakfast.

Standing by their table was the Golden Dawn’s Vice Captain, Langris Vaude. Even though he was smiling pleasantly, his smile didn’t really feel all that pleasant...

“Vice Captain Langris,” Klaus quickly greeted. Before he could stand up, Langris raised up a hand to stop him. 

“Enjoying breakfast? Well, the Captain was supposed to tell you this, but since he isn’t here right now... I was left with the job. Anyways, the Wizard King wants a report on the recent dungeon capture. Head to the Magic Knights Headquarters as soon as possible, clear?”

Klaus quickly did the three-leaf salute. With that, Langris, whose cryptic smile remained, turned and began walking away, disregarding the brigade members who greeted him as he passed by. Langris' back disappearing into the halls, Mimosa noticed how the Vice Captain hadn’t gotten his own breakfast, yet... Did he already eat?

Humming, Mimosa took another bite of her bread. Glancing at Yuno who sat across from her, the Vermillion royal recalled their conversation from earlier.

_Oh, Yuno! Good morning, are you headed for the cafeteria as well?_

_… Yes._

_I see! Why don’t we go together? Oh my, those are some heavy eye bags you have there. Did you sleep alright last night?_

_…_

Secretly, to herself, Mimosa wondered if she used the wrong words. Yuno’s eye bags didn’t seem like they were disappearing anytime soon, it made him look very tired… Too tired. With that in mind, Mimosa considered lending him some of her makeup, but... Would she be bothering him instead? Frowning, she quickly finished up her meal. 

There were mutterings in the cafeteria. 

… Smiling sadly, Mimosa kept her gaze on the table.

The Royal Capital, center-most point of the Noble Realm. Home to the higher folks of the kingdom’s hierarchy, the three royal families were housed in the Clover Castle. As a member of the Vermillion House, Mimosa spent most of her life in the Noble Realm.

Even so, that didn’t excuse her from understanding more about her own country and its people, alongside other kingdoms like Heart. As a young child, she often visited the common towns with her older brother, Kirsch Vermillion… Or at least, Kirsch had taken her to a town once on his magic carpet, but after that, she decided to go look around more by herself.

And for that reason… Her perspective of the kingdom’s people widened. The world was a big place, and watching the children who were trying their hardest to get by… It reminded her of Lady Noelle’s hard work, practicing her magic so relentlessly in secret. 

Many people gossiped behind the second daughter of the Silva House’s back.

_One step at a time._

Another blast of water missed the cracked column.

Noelle Silva had the heart of the Clover Kingdom’s people. 

It was a crucial aspect for one to be a leader. If anything… Noelle was bound for greatness, and that greatness should never be taken for granted. Recalling that moment when her cousin pulled her away from the Diamond Mage’s attack, these thoughts were affirmed even more so... And with that in mind, Mimosa resolved to work harder as well.

Because Mimosa was her cousin, after all.

Blue sky stretching over them, the three Golden Dawn Magic Knights walked up the streets of the Royal Capital. Just with a single glance, it was visible how grand the structures of this city were in comparison to those of the Common Realm. The Magic Knights Headquarters, based in the Royal Capital, was their current destination. 

They bumped into the Black Bulls' people.

Mimosa's eyes immediately lit up at the sight of Noelle and Anti, whose face was completely visible as he was not wearing his hood. Their anti-bird companion, Nero, was nested comfortably on the top of his head. Mimosa thought it was cute how Nero's expression was exactly the same with Anti's... What an adorable bird!

"Lady Noelle! Sir Anti!" The Plant Magic user greeted them with a bright smile. "It has been a week, are you two—"

"Anti!" Klaus interrupted Mimosa as he dashed to the younger, hands flailing around in a panicked frenzy. "Are you all healed up, now? Does your stomach hurt? The wound you sustained was really terrible," he turned his head to Noelle. "He's fully recovered, right?!"

"Y-yes," Noelle said stiffly to the panicking spectacled man. She looked slightly (very) taken aback. "We got him to a doctor. He's fine now."

A beat later.

Klaus gave back Anti's personal space and pushed up his glasses like nothing happened.

"I see. That is good news."

Anti merely blinked. He was staring ahead, his half lidded eyes still cast more towards the ground as usual. Looking closer, Mimosa noted how they were _really_ unfocused and dull…

Mimosa wondered about Anti.

“Are you two headed for the Magic Knights Headquarters, as well?” Mimosa asked. 

“Yeah,” Noelle nodded. “For the report on the dungeon...” 

Over the week, Klaus had been really open about his affection (“What affection?!” Klaus sputtered) towards Yuno and Anti. After the incident at the dungeon, Klaus had reflected a lot on the past… Leading to a great change in his view on the peasants. Although… Now he wouldn’t stop fussing about Yuno’s living habits (“What?! You gave away _all_ of your pay to Hage?! That’s—! Here, some allowance! You’re allowed to treat yourself, too, Yuno!”), along with Anti, who only had first aid healing when they separated ways...

Mimosa thought it was pretty adorable, the way Klaus came to care so much for those two. 

As the two groups made their way towards the Magic Knights Headquarters, Mimosa glanced over her shoulder.

Yuno was walking a bit slower than everyone else, hanging around the end of the group. He usually walked with an air of indifference around him, but...

…

Even though they weren’t as obvious anymore, the bags under his eyes were really not going away.

Mimosa was worried.

The things that were being stated at the cafeteria, the training grounds and halls… Never directly to his face, but always at the moment he would walk past. Loud enough so that he could hear. Loud enough for everyone to hear.

Yuno had always avoided the training grounds of the Golden Dawn’s headquarters. Only recently had he been going to the cafeteria more, because Klaus wouldn’t let him go off without eating a proper meal first. They always ate as a group after that.

… So yes.

Mimosa was worried for Yuno, too.

* * *

Klaus was not sure why the Wizard King was entertaining them like this. After the surprise of meeting Julius Novachrono _himself_ and debriefing him of what occurred during the dungeon capture, things turned stranger by the second.

For one, the rumor of the Wizard King being a giddy magic fanatic was definitely proven true, but then…

The cold gazes they were receiving from their superiors and colleagues alike were unsettling.

The Wizard King had invited them to the Distinguished Service Ceremony that had just been held, and now they were all standing in the halls for the post-ceremony reception. 

Round tables covered by white tablecloth were arranged certain distances away from each other. Standing by them were those of different brigades… Although it was clear that those from other squads weren’t willing to eat at the same table as others. 

Klaus, Mimosa, and Yuno stood awkwardly at one of the tables, and like the other tables, numerous dishes were placed expertly by the staff of the castle. The Black Bulls, Noelle and Anti, occupying the one next to theirs, looked even more out of place especially with Noelle’s nervous demeanor.

The hall wasn’t filled with many people, but it definitely had _important_ people. The Wizard King immediately left after the decoration ceremony, so now they were left to their own devices. Even though they _were_ invited to this place by the _Wizard King_ himself...

… 

Klaus tried to ignore his own discomfort.

Giving Yuno and Mimosa a sideways glance, he was slightly glad that they didn’t seem to be paying _too_ much attention to the pointed stares given by their peers. Mimosa had actually gone ahead to Noelle and Anti’s table, her open presence accompanied with a smile. 

… Mimosa was royalty, out of everyone in their group, she was probably the one most natural in such a setting. Klaus wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing, but it was a quality that should be appreciated. Even though he himself was a noble, he was still an Intermediate-ranked Magic Knight…

That, and…

“Vulgar peasant.”

… It was still uncomfortable, especially since Klaus knew that these “peasants” weren’t as bad as the image that was made of them. He wasn’t sure about Anti, but even though Yuno was a peasant, he was still respectable as a Magic Knight.

The mutterings continued, but they were more intense and gritting in comparison to those back in base.

“I would’ve handled that dungeon capture much better!” The Crimson Lion King’s Leopold Vermillion proclaimed, obviously trying to rile up the other.

“It isn't as if we were expecting much from a peasant like him,” Alecdora Sandler, a superior within the Golden Dawn’s ranks, said, and the words that were stated _hurt_.

_Because you wouldn’t have known that. Yuno is very capable… Not only does he train diligently everyday, he produces results as well._

Klaus recalled the moment Yuno suddenly asked the Wizard King, after all of the details from the dungeon was debriefed. The strange writings that were found in Yuno’s grimoire turned out to probably be the most important relic from the dungeon, and while the thought brought relief to the two squads, Klaus felt pride as well.

He supposed it was also then that he learned of Yuno’s ambitions and goals.

_How does one get to be Wizard King?_

....

But in the end…

It was still aggravating, really. To have one’s efforts waved away like they were nothing.

Swallowing nervously, Klaus stepped forward. “If I could say one—!”

“You too, Klaus,” Alecdora glared coldly at him. “With your skills, aren’t you ashamed to be here?!”

Body freezing up, the Steel Magic user quickly looked down, beads of sweat gathering in his palms. “I… Uh...”

“And Mimosa!” Mimosa flinched at the sudden call of her name. “I hear you were wounded early and had to leave the frontlines… You, a Vermillion royal… Ridiculous!” 

“I…” The Plant Magic user quickly bowed down her head. “I’m terribly sorry…!”

Usually no one would speak out. It was pointless to do so, because in the end, they were still your superiors. These were Magic Knights that gained recognition from their services, and most importantly… 

This was normal. That was why no one would speak out against the unjust... And people learned to not speak out for their own safety.

Magic power and status was everything.

At some point, the Silver Eagles began picking on Noelle, who was standing frozen there beside Anti. She had been fidgeting rather nervously since the Wizard King’s invitation…

A bad taste formed in Klaus’ mouth as guilt crashed in. Out of everyone, Noelle was probably the most uncomfortable in this setting. If only he hadn’t acted so recklessly…!

“Getting excited over a single success… Did you come here specifically to bring shame on the Silva name?”

Terror was within lavender pink eyes. It reminded Klaus of the time when she was desperately trying to get the Diamond Mage away from Anti… Blast after blast of water hitting against unbudging crystal armor. The moment itself brought anxiety to the Steel Magic user—he was ashamed and regretful at how quickly he was incapacitated by the Diamond Mage’s spell…!

“You do not belong here,” the Captain of the Silver Eagles said coldly. “Leave this place, you failure.”

It was awful.

Even now, Klaus still couldn’t understand why the Wizard King would bother inviting them to this place…

Noelle, whose spirit was broken, began to turn away. Her hand holding Anti’s, it seemed that they were going to leave… Even though it was discourteous, Klaus decided to look away. He didn’t want to have a respectable Black Bull to be seen in such a way—

Klaus paused. Blinking slowly, he noticed how Yuno’s attention seemed to be caught by something. He was not present in much of the conversations within the halls and still looked rather impassive, but his eyes… They were slightly widened, and Klaus followed his junior’s gaze.

…

Noelle’s eyes were blown very wide. 

“... Anti, hey…”

Her hand holding Anti’s, she tried tugging him along. Anti’s feet remained rooted on the marble ground.

Unmoving… Unwilling to move.

She tried pulling him harder.

“Anti, we have to go…!”

She was panicking. 

Another tug.

Another pull.

Voice breaking, she begged him one last time, clear distress growing within lavender pink eyes.

“Anti…!”

Anti remained unmoved. His eyes, half lidded as usual, were cast towards the ground expressionlessly.

... Anti just wouldn't move.

“What’s up with him?” The Silver Eagle’s Solid Silva stepped closer with a mocking look in his grin. “Wait… What, a child like _him_ wearing the Black Bull robes? Has the Black Bulls fallen _this_ far? I bet he’s as worthless as you are, Noelle! How about I show you myself—!”

Grimoire flipping open, Noelle watched with horror as Solid’s magic began to—

Many things happened at that moment.

First, Klaus saw how Anti’s own grimoire began to leave his pouch. As the familiar sinister aura back from the dungeon exploration slowly poured out of it, all actions were ceased with a single person’s voice:

“Solid,” all attention was averted to the Captain of the Silver Eagles, Nozel Silva. His face stoic and eyes remaining cold, fear could be seen rapidly building within Noelle’s heart.

Noelle was scared.

Noelle was really scared.

But then...

“Don’t use your magic so willingly against a mere peasant. He’s not worth our time." 

_… Eh?_

Turning away, he shot one final glance towards his youngest sister.

“Know your place, Noelle.”

Noelle, gaping at her brother, stared at him before quickly nodding. 

The dangerous aura being emitted from Anti’s grimoire residing, the Captain of the Silver Eagles began to walk away, the ends of his Magic Knight robes trailing behind him. 

Everyone, including Solid, stared after him with wide eyes.

… What?

Hearing a soft chuckle, Klaus slowly glanced to the side. The Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings, Fuegoleon Vermillion, had the touch of a smile on his lips. He was amused, Klaus realized.

… Amused…?

“My brother!” Leopold went ahead and proclaimed loudly. “Why are you chuckling? I am genuinely curious!”

“Nonsense, Leo,” Fuegoleon merely stated. “Let us resume our meals. This is a reception the Wizard King held for you, after all.” 

Laughing loudly, Leopold grabbed for a drumstick. “Of course!”

The former poisonous tension in the room breaking, Klaus felt the air around them lighter and more relaxed. Releasing a breath, Klaus drew back with a feeling of relief and amazement.

The whole exchange was… Strange, but… Glancing at Noelle, Klaus was thankful that the situation failed to escalate. Mimosa, who quickly approached her cousin, asked if she feeling alright.

Biting her lips, Noelle nodded again. 

Anti, who remained standing beside her, kept his half lidded eyes cast towards the ground.

Klaus was relieved, and as for Yuno…

Distantly, the Wind Magic user looked away.

* * *

Green was the color of his eyes, after all.

But at the same time... They were still different.

Duller, half lidded, and lifeless. Quiet. Anti was someone who went through so much, _too_ much, and it wasn’t right for Yuno to so selfishly put these thoughts on him. On someone who was working so hard… Fighting for this kingdom, working as a Magic Knight, and standing by his fellow Black Bull’s side.

Because… If it turned out that he was wrong, then it would only bring shame and disappointment. These were feelings that Anti didn’t deserve to be pointed with, and Yuno hated it… This useless hope.

It wasn’t right, it _shouldn’t_ be right.

Anti continued to hold Noelle's quivering hand in his own.

 _Not yet,_ Asta had always said.

There was this awful pain panging in Yuno's head. Eyes of gold closed tight.

... Hoping was hard.

Believing was difficult.

Shortly, the Royal Capital came under attack. It was the march of the dead...

The Eye of the Midnight Sun has arrived.


	13. Guiding Hands

To become Wizard King…

One must gain merit.

That was how Julius Novachrono, the Twenty Eighth Wizard King, explained it. After examining the ancient words that were found in Yuno’s grimoire, he returned the tome to the younger’s hands. 

People couldn’t be protected by pride alone.

_Let go!_

Trust only came after a reputation was built.

_That’s Yuno’s, give it back!_

People only wanted one thing from the Wizard King: 

Achievements that marked you the strongest, results that should be produced consistently... The devotion to build a reputation.

That was everything.

Door bursting open, a Castle Knight barged when with a look of haste and panic. At the news of the Capital being under attack, almost immediately, one of the Golden Dawns, Shiren Tium, pulled out his grimoire swiftly. A three-dimensional stone model of the Noble Realm formed in the matter of seconds, revealing a clear view of the entire scene. Even the voices from the people at the scene could be heard as clear as day.

“A force with this much magic appears in five different places simultaneously… For us to not notice it…” Alecdora’s frown deepened as he examined the model.

Fuegoleon hummed. “A formidable Spatial Magic user must have made them materialize in an instant.” 

As discussions for the next course of actions were being made, Noelle fidgeted a bit before glancing at Anti. Seeing how his eyes were now glued to the stone model of the Noble Realm, she fell into a quiet pondering.

… Their hands were linked together. Bottom lip wobbling, Noelle quickly wiped the back of her hand across closed eyes. She wasn’t crying, not at all. 

When Noelle was assigned as Anti’s partner during her first missions, Finral had told her that Anti would follow just by gently tugging his hand. That was obviously a lie. 

… His hand was warm. 

While resting very weakly, by reading his ki, Noelle could tell that the muscles in his hand were slightly tensed. A small, somber smile reaching her lips, the royal girl’s heart remained heavy from her siblings’ previous remarks. 

Solid’s comments… They were very hurtful, but Noelle supposed that was the point. He probably didn’t even care about harassing Anti… Just herself.

But… Even so.

There was a small twitch from Anti’s pinky.

...

Noelle felt her eyes burning.

The urgent yelling from the stone model was very off putting, but watching the Magic Knights… They were still calmly assessing the situation, discussing steadily on what should be the next course of actions. It made sense… If they didn’t have a good grasp of the situation, their actions as a team would only call for recklessness and mistakes. 

But…

As if reading Noelle’s mind, Fuegoleon, the Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings, nodded to himself.

“Whatever the case, we have to protect the people of this kingdom. I’m sure you find it irritating to take orders from me, but listen well, Magic Knights!” Mana swelling, flames in the form of a lion burst into life under the mage’s feet. 

“Leo and I will head to the North District, you Black Bulls come with me! Silver Eagles, take the Central District, the enemy’s magic is strongest over there! Blue Roses, head for the East District, and Golden Dawn, split into two teams and take care of the West and Northwest Districts!”

Quickly helping Anti up the Flame Creation Magic, Noelle stuck close to him with a nervous expression.

_Treat this like Saussy and the dungeon… Just do what you can, Noelle…!_

“If we fail to protect the Capital, we’ll bring shame on the Magic Knights! Whatever you do, do not let the enemy escape!”

“Yes, sir!”

* * *

To remain calm during any situation was of great importance as a Magic Knight. 

_Monitor your own condition, determine whether or not you are in good shape to fight. While sheer determination and exuberance are great weapons, so is keeping a cool head!_

Leopold laughed loudly as he summoned spiral flames. Watching the pale haired Black Bull cut down enemy after enemy, it was intriguing to see how skilled he was despite being so frail. The fact he used a sword was very interesting as well… Leopold couldn’t feel a bit of mana from him!

 _Impressive_ , the Vermillion royal thought with a smirk. The Black Bulls were full of interesting people! 

To remain calm during any sort of situation was of great importance indeed. Level headed thinking, however, only came with experience and more experience.

Adjusting her hold on the wand, Noelle swallowed dryly. The North District was ravaged with… She wasn’t sure how to describe them. They were definitely _dead_ , but malicious magic kept rising from these moving corpses.

… A very powerful spell. The enemy must be formidable if they were able to summon this many undying troops. 

_But it looks like Anti’s Anti-Magic works on them well. They didn’t come back up after he cut them down._

Noelle recalled the short conversation she had with the Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings when they leaped off to their destination. The fiery paws of Fuegoleon’s lion hitting the rooftops, they had charged immediately towards the northern district. 

_I hope the words of your siblings aren’t getting to you,_ he had said over Leopold’s laughter. The younger Vermillion must be psyched on fighting against enemy troops. 

_Being weak is not something to be ashamed of, staying weak is,_ glancing over his shoulder, a small smirk was on his lips. _Yami must be a handful, giving you tough missions one after another without many instructions. Not only that, it seems you were assigned to look after Anti, despite only recently joining the Magic Knights._

Absentmindedly, Noelle remembered that Fuegoleon _was_ a Magic Knight Captain, as was her older brother, Nozel.

_However, these obstacles only proved helpful. The Black Bulls’ truly the most suitable place for you to grow as a mage and Magic Knight._

_Have faith in that, Noelle._

Water gathering at the tip of her wand, Noelle took a deep breath. 

_Use what you have learned throughout these months,_ she told herself.

_Ki sensing as Finral taught you… Better mana control as Vanessa told you…_

_Anti had just recovered from a horrible injury, you can’t let him overexert himself like this!_

_The Sea Dragon’s Lair, use it!_

A little girl who had been separated from the other civilians was surrounded by hordes and hordes of undeads. Up ahead, a strange man with a wicked grin stood with an air of eerie arrogance and malice. 

He ought to be the one who cast this spell. If they were moments too late, the girl might have already been…

Fuegoleon frowned. 

“I suppose there is no use asking for your objective…” Raising a hand, embers of flames flickered on his fingertips. “You have attacked Clover and its people, prepare for the consequences!”

* * *

The Northwest District was burning to the ground. Eyes assessing the enemies, it seemed that even though they have magic in them, they were not living beings. 

“There’s so many of them…!” Mimosa said worriedly. The stench in the air was distracting, but it was still bearable at the very least. 

_I have to get first aid to the injured civilians,_ she quickly thought. Klaus had to go with the other squad as only Yuno and Klaus had a spell for transportation among the Golden Dawn brigade members present. Glancing nervously at Alecdora, the royal quickly turned away and flipped to one of the pages in her grimoire.

Right now, the main focus should be the safety of the citizens. Summoning multiple Dream Healing Flower Baskets, Mimosa called for the civilians.

“Those who are injured, please come over here!”

Before the undead enemies could get near, Yuno summoned wind as Alecdora manipulated sand.

Undead or not, all the Magic Knights had to do was to crush them until they couldn’t get back up again.

It went on for a few more minutes, and eventually, the commotion died down. The corpses were all piled up at the side, the rotting bodies unmoving and limp. 

Glancing at his hand, an impassive look remained on Yuno’s face.

 _… I need to get stronger so things like this won’t give me trouble._ Yuno glanced back to his surroundings. There were no more enemies…

It couldn’t be that quick, right? An attack on the Royal Capital… What was their objective?

…

To become Wizard King, one must gain merit.

Yuno recalled the answer he received upon asking. 

People couldn’t be protected by pride alone _,_ and trust only came after a reputation was built. People only wanted one thing from the Wizard King...

Achievements that marked you the strongest, results that should be produced consistently... The devotion to build a reputation.

That was everything.

“Oh, Anti!” The Wizard King had smiled brightly towards the pale haired Black Bull. “You’re going to Owen’s later again, right? Marx was very worried when he heard about what happened, haha!” 

Klaus, Mimosa, and Yuno all paused. 

_... Huh?_

“Well, you all just take it easy, alright?” Corners of the older’s eyes wrinkling, eyes of gold were met with the Wizard King’s purple. The Wizard King was no longer just a giddy magic fanatic, but also the most respected, strongest man.

 _How does one get to be Wizard King,_ Yuno had asked. The doors to the Distinguished Service Ceremony opened.

“I wonder… Can you give me better results than they have?”

Suddenly, Yuno felt a disruption—an oddly familiar pulse of magic. Glancing to his grimoire that was secured in his pouch, his eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion—

Wind swept him off his feet. Yuno’s eyes widening, Mimosa yelped in surprise at the abrupt movement.

“Yuno?!”

Wind kept gathering. Yuno could now see the entire district from a bird's eye view. He was floating in the sky, his magic uncontrolled—no, something _else_ had taken control. What was this all about? The air was cold on his face. Glancing down, Yuno saw something black spreading on the ground at his fellow Magic Knights’ feet—

 _Oh_.

Spatial Magic. It was Spatial Magic.

Darkness enveloped Mimosa and Alecdora. Yuno felt his entire body freeze at the implications of the scene. 

Mimosa and the noble vanished without a trace. The darkness receded, and his fellow Golden Dawn Magic Knights had...

 _Mimosa_.

Yuno’s feet settled back onto the Spatial Magic-free ground, a bead of sweat rolled down the line of his face. Mimosa and the other Magic Knight were gone, he couldn’t sense their mana signatures anywhere in the surrounding vicinity. 

_… Mimosa_.

She was capable. Even though Mimosa tended to be oblivious a lot of the time, she was still capable. Mimosa was still a Magic Knight, _so don’t worry, Yuno._

Red was on her back when she got attacked from behind. 

At the sound of urgent cries and screaming, Yuno stifled back a flinch. Trying to slow down his rapidly beating heart, he turned towards the direction of the unknown mana signature that made itself known—another enemy. An actual enemy.

The civilians were in danger. 

… After a hesitant pause, Yuno swallowed dryly. 

_I have to go help._

There were four spikes of Spatial Magic that happened around the same time. Based on that, Yuno suspected the other Magic Knights were also caught and taken away like Mimosa and the noble. He wasn’t sure if they were safe or not, or where they could be taken to, but multiple Magic Knight Captains should be there... 

In the end, they were still more experienced than he was. He needed to give them some credit as Magic Knights, as well.

Shooting his hand forward, a tornado spun into life by the call of his magic. There was a witch wearing all black hovering on her broom… She was stealing the mana of the civilians, causing them to wither and age in rapid years. 

Yuno stood in front of the defenseless, his eyes narrowed and stern. The Golden Dawn robes brought comfort, and now Yuno had to prove the symbol behind these robes true. 

“Get away from these people… Old lady!”

The witch, who had been smiling rather giddily upon seeing Yuno, suddenly darkened with a beyond-furious look rampaging on her face. 

“ _Who are you calling an ‘old lady,’ boy?!_ ”

* * *

Curse bullets with all sorts of curses inside. The witch’s magic affinity was Ash, and even as Yuno tried to blow them away with his wind, bits and pieces of her spell still ended up slipping through the gaps.

It had been going around for a long time. She was still hurling bullets at him—her magic reserves… It was a problem.

The enemy side’s objective was the elimination of a _certain someone_. At this point, the witch was practically toying with him, and the thought of it was beginning to leave a bad taste in Yuno’s mouth. The good thing was that all of her attention was on him, now… The civilians could take this chance to get to safety. 

Yuno’s eyes widened at the moment an ash bullet suddenly came and hit him on the side. A few more came right after, causing disruptions in his concentration and control. It wasn’t good. This wasn’t good, and at that moment, impressions from the dungeon came tumbling back mercilessly.

“My, my!” The witch giggled, her gleeful eyes full of animosity. “You’re getting clumsier and clumsier. What hit you this time, I wonder?”

The Diamond Mage was scarier. More intimidating… Stronger. 

The witch laughed again as more bullets rained down on him. Yuno felt his body going numb.

He couldn’t see well. His eyes… Flinching, Yuno noticed how everything sounded so muffled. His ears were failing—

Helplessness. 

_I am a Magic Knight._

Golden Dawn members eyed him coldly with a scrunched up scowl.

_That peasant… Maybe he’s got a Four Leaf, but that peasant is pushing his luck._

A boy covered in darkness saved him with a single blade. Turning back, dull green eyes regarded him without much thought.

_His abilities are nothing compared to the rest of the Golden Dawn. Just wait, he’ll get under soon._

Walking down the halls together, Mimosa and Klaus kept redirecting Yuno to other places the moment they heard the sound of whispers. He appreciated the thought, but… Yuno was used to it. Those comments… He was indifferent to them.

Or rather, he didn’t _need_ to be bothered by them. Yuno wasn’t here to be comfortable, after all.

_How does one get to be Wizard King?_

Father Orsi and Sister Lily would sometimes have this sad look in their eyes even as they smile. Yuno understood why. They were upset that they weren’t able to provide Yuno and his siblings with the resources those closer to the Capital were accessed to, but Yuno didn’t want them to feel that way. He wanted better for his younger siblings as well, but they shouldn’t be worried for Yuno.

He was okay. Yuno promised to be strong, after all.

Stronger than anyone…

Stronger than all.

The Four Leaf brought up everyone’s expectations. He was also able to be admitted to the strongest brigade there was right now… The Golden Dawn.

It didn’t matter what other people said. Yuno would train harder either way, so he didn’t care about any of that… 

But when the mineral sword came crashing down, desperation stabbed him in the chest and head. His throat hurt, and the silver haired Black Bull kept sending blasts of water at the Diamond Mage who couldn’t be stopped.

What stopped him was a power that Yuno received by chance. After the dungeon exploration, Yuno had examined closer at the strange words that were written into his grimoire. They were the same as the ones in the scroll, and he tried to use it later… But no matter what Yuno did, he just couldn’t activate the spell. The Wizard King had been rather disappointed upon hearing that, his sparkling eyes quickly melting into a sad, understanding smile. That power… The most important relic in the dungeon.

It wouldn’t listen to him at all.

_It isn’t as if we were expecting much from a peasant like him._

Yuno couldn’t win. He wasn't able to protect anyone, nevertheless help.

The witch was yelling something. Yuno couldn’t tell… Was he feeling pain? Something shoved him at his right shoulder, it didn’t really hurt… Was it another ash bullet? Shouldn’t it be painful?

It was so dark… He couldn’t see anything, couldn’t feel…

A younger Yuno was standing alone by himself. Blinking slowly, he gazed up to where the stars should be. There weren’t any stars, however. Just… Darkness. Darkness stretched far. He couldn’t see the tips of his fingers even as he reached out.

Yuno was in the old tatoe storage house. Boxed in, he was feeling oddly agitated. What was he doing here, again? Furrowing his eyebrows, eyes of gold found themselves closing. He tried covering his ears, too.

It didn’t help.

Yuno continued to sit there. He waited for Asta.

...

Asta had been missing for ten years, now.

He barely remembered anything about him. Shouldn't he let go?

Even if Asta was still alive... Even if he was somewhere out there...

They were already...

_Don’t ever give up._

“I won’t lose. I _can’t_ lose.” 

His senses were bleeding, everywhere was numb but hurting. 

“I will never lose, and I won’t move.”

Spark after spark, the mana of wind gathered around him. Something was pulsing in his chest, a guiding force that was telling him to _see_. _How_ to see.

Wind-based mages were particularly good at detecting mana, and Yuno saw it: the flow of mana.

For a moment, it was as if someone was there by his side… A guiding hand, almost like a friend. 

... Friend.

Mimosa and Klaus… He wasn't sure when, but the two of them had already became so important to him.

(The dark and cold night, left side of his face pressed against snow.)

_... I'm sorry, Asta._

Grimoire flipped to the right page, the young mage raised his hand towards the place he _knew_ where the enemy was. Mana materialized a small doll-sized girl, her power coursing through his own magic.

_Don’t ever lose again._

_Only win._

On the top of his lungs, he yelled.

Yuno yelled, and the civilians, the witch... They all heard him.

"I'll tell you... Just one thing about me...!

"I will become the Wizard King!"

_Wind Spirit Magic: Sylph's Breath._

* * *

Fuegoleon, lifeless and dull-eyed, was bleeding out on the ground. Noelle and Leopold stared in horror.

The... His grimoire… It was still intact. Noelle had to stop the bleeding. Ripping off a part of her dress, she quickly got to Fuegoleon’s side, pressing the cloth where his missing right arm was replaced with red and more red. 

"Leopold! Get a hold of yourself!" The Vermillion wasn't moving. He was frozen where he stood, denial and fear rapidly breaking down his mind.

Anti, whose breath was heavier than usual, gazed ahead with usual blankness in green eyes. The recently healed gash that ran across his stomach... It was throbbing badly, he couldn’t activate the Anti-Magic well… 

Too much burden. His body was failing. The bad person in front of him was laughing loudly, making fun of the good person who was a Captain and dying. 

Very slowly, Anti was starting to close his eyes. It wasn’t good…

Before he faded, his ears caught Noelle yelling something. He didn't like how distressed her voice sounded... Was the bigger people still making Noelle feel bad? 

Heavy sword limp in his right hand, Anti tiredly stumbled back.

Everything went black.

A giant sword made out of minerals was falling down. Slicing it in half with his own blade, Asta stood quietly as Noelle and Luck quickly caught up to his side. There were fellow Magic Knights from a different brigade... Allies. Turning back to at least recognize them, during that short instance in time, dull green caught a glimpse of familiar gold.

...

Left hand tensing, the boy...

Asta wondered, but right now, he had to first focus on the battle. Though after that...

... He ought to make sure, right?


	14. Asta

Yuno’s senses slowly came back to him. There was wind, and he stared ahead. Gaze drifting to the little figure that was hovering near his face, the teen found himself blinking slowly. A spirit… 

There was a smile on her lips. She must had been sending mana signals to him this entire time.

… A spirit. The Wind Spirit.

Yuno’s attention quickly averted to the civilians. The sight of them safe and sound gave the Wind Magic user relief—that was good. Very good.

But then… Looking around, the witch he was fighting... She wasn’t anywhere near the vicinity. The spell he had used earlier blew her away, but there was still a probability that the enemy was still running around active. Commanding the wind, his senses were spread in an attempt to detect the witch’s mana. After managing to summon the mysterious power that was harbored in his grimoire, mana detection suddenly came to the teen easily.

Yuno felt… Stronger.

The spirit guided him.

_… There._

A gentle breeze of wind took Yuno and his new spirit companion to the direction of the Magic Knights Headquarters. While his head and body felt pretty light… It wasn’t that bad.

Freeing, Yuno realized. It felt freeing.

Twitching, Yuno frowned. Looking ahead, he was getting nearer to a specific section of the headquarters… He wasn’t sure what that place was, but there was this dangerous feeling radiating off from that area. Mana… Someone’s mana was growing with rapid intensity. Yuno felt intimidated. The witch should be at that direction, but what exactly—

A colossal fist made out of cotton bulldozed a familiar face straight out of the building.

Yuno stared ahead.

“…I don’t care who they are— _nobody_ touches my food, la!”

* * *

It was hard to think.

To move… 

To put thought.

There had always been an impression, however… The pendant in his left hand. 

He had to keep it safe. Protect it…

Bring it back to its owner. Bring it back to where it belonged. Bring it back to where it should be… 

“Hello.”

A voice.

“Can you hear me?”

He could.

“My name is William.”

...

“We’ll just take one more step. You can do it, Anti!”

“Anti, we’re going to go visit Owen, alright?” Finral said to him with a smile. Finral was a nice person. He felt similar to the girl with pink hair, but Asta still had to be careful. He had to… Make sure. 

Extra sure. Even more sure.

But as time went by… They never hurt him. 

They called themselves the “Black Bulls,” and the Black Bulls were kind. Genuinely kind. They were good people. 

Their kindness… It made Asta think. He began thinking to himself, and then he felt sorry. Sorry that he couldn’t talk to them, couldn’t laugh with them, but once he should safely deliver the pendant back to its owner… The one with the gold colored eyes...

Maybe.

Maybe Asta could try moving on, as well.

Anti’s body hitting the floor, Noelle felt herself freeze at the sight of her comrade’s collapse. Throat running dry, the horror with what happened with Captain Fuegoleon intensified, and the young girl felt her heart despairing.

_No._

Anti reached his limit. He was already very weak, physically, and the wound he got from the dungeon…

The white cloth she had pressed onto Fuegoleon’s wound was drenched in red.

_I—Anti, I have to help Anti._

“L-Leopold,” Noelle’s voice quivered. “We have to…”

“I… I know,” Leopold replied. Cold sweat was running down his face, wide eyes remained on the enemy. 

Rades… Former Magic Knight… Wraith Magic user, a sick bastard.

But this wasn’t good.

A magically enforced undead loomed over Leopold. Before he could look back, the sudden impact of his back hitting the walls faraway forced the air out of his lungs. 

_No._

“Leopold!” Standing up in haste, Noelle gripped the metal of her wand before noticing the undeads approaching Anti’s unconscious body. Stretching her arm out, she quickly summoned a barrier around her friend, her spell shaky and rapidly losing shape.

_No… No!_

Fuegoleon was dying at her feet. Leopold was blown away. Anti was right now in a state of helplessness… 

Noelle was alone here. 

_I have to protect them!_

But did she really have the ability to do so?

_I have to, I have no choice!_

Just look at the state of her magic. It was collapsing, the undeads were breaking it—

_I’m a Magic Knight; so don’t complain, don’t make excuses…!_

Helplessness. 

Solid and Nebra were laughing at her. Nozel… 

Being weak was not shameful. Staying weak was, just as Fuegoleon told her.

_But… Even so…_

_Even though I know that._

_What is the point, if I_ don’t _have the ability to help_ right now _?_

“Just a heart, eh?” Rades stepped forward with a crazed look, nervous beads of sweat rolling down his face.

 _You were able to overcome adversity,_ Fuegoleon had said to him upon destroying his puppets. _What you lacked was just a heart._

“I always _just_ do what my heart tells me to do! Go yap your head in the next world, Fuegoleon Vermillion!”

They were awful. It was frustrating, and the royal felt her blood boil.

Shadows were across the young royal’s face.

What could she do now?

_Ah! Noelle, one thing about partnering up with Anti… Keep attention to the little movements. Don’t just rely on your ears and eyes. It might sound a little out of the world, but I promise! I’ll come to you eventually._

_Once you’re able to read ki, communication between teammates will become very efficient!_

Flimsy barrier around Anti stabilizing, the water swishing turned steady. 

Noelle knew how to read ki. Albeit not as good as the rest of the Black Bulls, but…

In the end, she was still royalty.

_Swallow your helplessness. Steel yourself._

Ducking, spirals of flames shot past her head and towards the enemy. Taken aback by the sudden attack, Rades took a step backwards out of surprise.

Magic flaring, Leopold returned from the ground. His face was twisted with pain and rampaging emotions, but the Magic Knight kept his back straight and tall. While the enemies never noticed his approach, Noelle sensed him waking up from a mile away.

 _Stay calm at all times_.

Just as Fuegoleon told them. 

“The Spatial Magic user is the main problem!” Leopold yelled as he set the last of the undeads on fire with flames that grew taller. “We have to work together and beat those two, Noelle!”

Magic swelling at the tip of her wand, Noelle kept track of the little movements their opponents would make. “Yes!” 

_Stay alert, keep attention! Buy enough time and make sure they don’t get away!_

Rades gritted his teeth. “You little…!”

Cold, piercing magic was felt. Both royals falling into a quiet halt, strange mist swirled past their feet.

Enemy reinforcements. 

Lavender pink eyes were wide.

Five of them.

“We received a report from _our master_ and came, but… Against people like these…? Pitiful.”

… The disadvantage of numbers was overwhelming. Noelle felt herself almost laughing.

_Five._

Just by the feel of their mana, they were all high level mages… 

_How are we supposed to fend against them?_

“Oh my, that kid lying over there…” Noelle flinched at one of the hooded enemies’ words. “Could he be that Anti-Magic boy?”

_They know about Anti?_

“Leopold,” Noelle whispered. “This isn’t good.”

Breath heavy, Leopold murmured back without meeting her eyes. “Is this… About Anti?”

Noelle nodded, forgetting that Leopold wasn’t like Magna and Luck. Leopold didn’t know how to read ki, but regardless of that fact, he seemed to have caught her message. Shifting his stance, the pages of his grimoire began moving. 

“If they’re after Anti as well, then we will have to shield him. I won’t let them get near him like what they did to my brother…!”

“... Yeah,” Noelle didn’t have any efficient attack spells yet, but… Maybe it was the adrenaline running in her system. 

_Surpass your limits,_ Yami had said.

The fight continued, and before the enemy attacks could get too near, Noelle summoned another one of her Sea Dragon’s Lair. One of the enemies used a Tree Creation Magic spell and successfully broke down the torrent, and Noelle swallowed back her fear.

Leopold sent out more flames. Carefully, without missing a beat, he fought like a wild beast. Anti was too far away, Noelle had to get to him while protecting Fuegoleon at the same time. 

The first time Noelle met the Black Bulls… Officially, the scene that met her eyes left her speechless. 

She wasn’t sure how to describe it, but...

_In any case, we’re glad you’re safe!_

_And before that… Want to eat some food, la? Here, try this!_

_Magic control is what I’m best at! I’ll teach you some neat techniques, alright?_

_We’re the Black Bulls, a_ whole group _of failures. That little flaw of yours ain’t a big deal, idiot!_

The twitch from Anti’s pinky when their hands remained together.

Feet pushing off the ground, Noelle took off for Anti. 

_Please, let the barrier hold on… Just for a little longer!_

Magic was swelling as the enemies prepared their fatal attack. The tension in the air was heavy, and Noelle forced her way forward. One step and a time, relentlessly, _never giving up_ —

A sensation. Noelle’s eyes widened, and lavender pink eyes looked up.

… The sky.

There was mercury.

Nozel.

* * *

“Ah… Thank you so much for saving my food!” A small girl with black hair said bashfully.

“... Right.” 

“Um… May I know your name? I’m Charmy, la!”

“... Yuno.”

“Yuno! I see, it is very nice to meet you, la!”

“... Likewise.”

Knees turning weak, Yuno stumbled a bit before a bundle of cotton caught him swiftly. Blinking at the softness of the cushion, he quickly got back up to his feet. The spell earlier cost a lot of mana… He must be running out…

“La! Are you running out of mana?” Charmy suddenly said. Grimoire flipping open, a sheep made of cotton (that was also wearing a… Chef’s hat?) popped out of thin air. “If that is the case, please wait for a moment!”

A fresh bowl of food was made. Yuno stared at it as it was plopped into his hands.

“Eating the Sheep Cook: Master Chef’s food helps replenish your mana! Eat up, la! As thanks!”

Eyes widening, Yuno tried a bite. It was just as Charmy said, his mana… Glancing at the girl, he noticed the Black Bull robes she was donning. 

_… I see,_ those from the Black Bulls were really amazing. 

“Thank you,” he said, and looking out of the hole that was made in the wall, a frown reached his face. “There is… The rest of the districts seem to be safe, now, but the northern one…”

_But the witch… Even though she should be knocked out unconscious, we have to restrain her… I don’t have any spells that could do that._

“Charmy… Right?”

“Y-yes! I’m Charmy, la!”

“Do you have any spells that could bind the enemy? We have to capture that witch before she wakes up.”

Eyes brightening, Charmy nodded. “I do!”

Yuno nodded back. “Now that my mana is restored… After that, we should head to the North District.”

“Of course, la!”

Cotton magic wrapping around the defeated witch, Yuno was impressed at how advanced the spell was. The immense mana from earlier… It was undoubtedly from Charmy. As the cotton fully encased the enemy, it shrank down into a small ball and was secured in the Black Bull’s hands. With that, Yuno came to a small dilemma. 

He was still recovering from the enemy’s curses… If they head for the North District, Yuno might end up as a nuisance instead. Perhaps they should stay… Hand over the captured criminal and make sure about the safety of the civilians. Contact reinforcements… There were many things that had to be done.

But then again, the flares of mana coming from the North District made Yuno concerned. The battle that was occurring over there…

Weren’t the Black Bulls in the North District?

Noelle and Anti. They were with Crimson Lions, Captain Fuegoleon… 

...

“... Charmy,” Charmy immediately perked up her head. “Could I ask you about one of the members in your brigade?”

Blinking, the girl smiled. “Sure! Who do Yuno want to ask about, la? I’ll try my best to answer!”

Yuno kept his eyes on the distant view of the kingdom. 

“... I want to ask about… The one called Anti,” meeting her eyes, Yuno shuffled a little on his feet. “Is that alright?”

Charmy didn’t mind at all. Instead, the look on her face only brightened at the sound of her comrade’s name.

“Anti, la? Oh! So you must have met Anti before! Ask away, what do you want to know about him?”

Yuno slowly looked to the side. Eyes glued to the cracks on the floor, he continued. “I was wondering… When did he join the Order of the Magic Knights?”

“La? Oh… Hrm… Technically a few months ago! Anti had been with us for a long time, actually!” Hopping on her feet, Charmy was practically giddy. “He’s a very good kid, la! We’re very proud of him!”

“A long time ago?”

“Mmhm! I think… Four years? Yeah! I think it’s about four years, la!”

Four years…

Yuno nodded slowly. “I see…”

Noticing his slight discomfort, Charmy tilted her head. “What's the matter, la?” 

“Oh... It’s nothing,” gazing up to the skies, it seemed that his sight was getting better. “... But… To be honest,” he admitted, “he feels very familiar.”

The Black Bull fell into a quiet pause.

“Familiar?”

Yuno nodded again. “But I’m not sure…”

“Oh…” Crossing her arms over her chest, the Black Bull made a long hum. “If that is the case… Who does he remind you of, la?”

“... An…” Voice trailing off, Yuno took a breath before continuing. “An old friend. He went… Missing. Ten years ago.”

“An old friend?”

Yuno nodded. 

“What was his name, la?”

Before Yuno could answer, urgent yelling was heard in the vicinity. Quickly averting his attention to the mana in the air, Yuno realized that the commotion at the North District long ended. The Magic Knights had all returned to the headquarters.

“Wha—Nozel, what do you mean?!” Solid of the Silver Eagles seemed to be very confused.

Catching up with the others, Yuno caught wind that the Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings had been fatally injured and taken to the medical ward. Yuno frowned at the hurried state his fellow Magic Knights were in right now. Even though the Royal Capital was secured, the Magic Knights… _Especially_ the Captains…

 _… Wait,_ Yuno glanced around. Spotting Noelle, who looked awfully disheveled and stressed out, he noticed her companion, Anti, was nowhere in sight—

“We’ll immediately dispatch a search party, there is no time to be wasted,” Nozel said quickly as the Captain of the Blue Rose, Charlotte Roselei, nodded in agreement. Both had a stern expression on their faces, and it confused the Magic Knights who were following them.

“But— _why_? Isn’t he just some random peasant? Why are we so urgent about—”

“Silence,” Nozel shot a cold glare at his brother. “Do as I say, and that is all that matters. Roselei,” he turned to his fellow Captain. “Are we able to reach the Wizard King, yet?”

“Not quite,” Charlotte answered swiftly, “the comms are still blocked. We managed to get to the reinforcements, however. Magic Knights from different squads should be coming in to help with the civilians. We should contact Marx.”

“Agreed. The problem will be locating the boy… The Black Bulls should come along. Preferably the one with the Spatial Magic… Finral, was it.”

“I believe so.”

“Yuno!” It was Mimosa and Klaus. The three reuniting, Klaus quickly stopped himself before attacking Yuno with a hug.

“I heard about what happened from Mimosa,” Klaus said worriedly as he pushed up his glasses. “Those injuries you have…”

At that, Klaus noticed the little spirit hovering by Yuno’s side. He blinked slowly. “Is that…?”

Following Klaus’ gaze, the younger nodded. 

“The spell from the dungeon… I managed to activate it, finally.”

“That’s…” Klaus smiled proudly. “That’s amazing, Yuno.” 

“What happened?”

Mimosa and Klaus fell into a quiet pause. A nervous expression on the Plant Magic user’s face, Mimosa glanced at her cousin who stood beside a heavily exhausted Leopold. Both Noelle and Leopold looked completely in distress and shame.

“Anti… He got captured by the enemy.”

White silence. Yuno turned his head and stared at them with wide eyes.

“... What?”

As if sensing the turmoils in Yuno’s heart, the spirit turned gazed at Yuno with an expression of worry. He didn’t notice, but the spirit was concerned for the teen.

“It seems like the Captains are already trying to figure out a way to get him back,” Klaus said as he stole their superiors a concerned glance. “But I’m honestly surprised, actually. They… As Magic Knights, we don’t usually put this much effort on… Rescue missions.”

 _Not to mention… For someone of Anti’s rank._ Klaus was genuinely surprised when the Captains immediately jumped into action.

“... What will happen, now?” Yuno was almost hesitant to ask.

Biting her lower lip, Mimosa tilted her head forward, almost as if ashamed of herself. “I’m… Not sure. Anti apparently had overexerted himself, the injury he had… It must’ve reopened.”

“... Oh,” Yuno found his gaze drifting back towards Noelle and the Crimson Lion King mage. 

He wasn’t sure how to feel about this whole thing.

_These kinds of things happen all the time. While regrettable, all we can do is correct the mistake and learn to not do it again._

_When mistakes happen, we have to grit our teeth and make up for it… As Magic Knights._

Mistakes were bound to happen. Yuno’s hand balled into a fist. 

Bad things were bound to…

“Heya!” A voice. Everyone’s eyes shot to the Wizard King, Julius Novachrono, who suddenly popped out of nowhere with a nonchalant smile.

They stared at him, and then to Anti, who was awake and carried underneath one of the Wizard King’s arms. 

…

“ANTI!” Klaus practically screamed as Noelle fell onto her knees. Making a good natured laugh, the Wizard King let Anti down so he could stand on his own two feet. 

Yuno stared, and Klaus, Mimosa, Leopold, and later, Noelle, were already by Anti’s side. They were fussing over the small boy of his injuries and _are you okay? Are you feeling alright? Anti, I was so worried!_

Anti blinked slowly, and Yuno continued to stare. Charmy was there as well, a muffin in her hands and attempting to stuff it in Anti’s face. Anti blinked again, and Yuno felt himself let go of a long breath.

 _… The Wizard King. He saved him immediately_.

Yuno felt very tired.

_That is… Good. He’s safe._

Eyes of gold met dull green. Yuno paused. Anti was staring directly at him, and Yuno couldn’t breath.

… Oh, that was right. He never actually… They never looked at each other in the eyes before. Anti would always look towards the ground, so… 

Green.

In the end, his eyes were really green.

“Anti?” Charmy’s voice reached Yuno’s ears, and by the time Yuno noticed, Anti was already standing in front of him. Their eyes were no longer meeting, dull green staring straight at Yuno’s chest. Trailing behind, Klaus and Mimosa looked at them worriedly. Noelle was slightly surprised.

… Now that they were standing directly in front of each other, Yuno realized how small the other really was. Anti was really frail.

A tug on his left hand. Yuno blinked.

Looking down, Anti had grabbed his left hand, turning it over so that the palm would face the skies above. Yuno was confused. What was he—?

Something plopped into his palm, and Yuno heard a sharp gasp. It was from Charmy, he realized, and—

Blue.

Yuno stared at the blue, round crystal sitting there on his palm. 

…

Blue.

That was…

Yuno stared at Anti. Anti’s gaze was still downcast, eyes half opened and—

_Blue._

Yuno felt his throat close up.

_Let go!_

_That’s Yuno’s, let go!_

Pale hair. Green eyes. 

He wasn’t able to tell—it was too long ago. He couldn’t remember… How he looked like, how he sounded like. His presence… How his presence felt like. But the pendant… That crystal.

Yuno’s lost pendant from ages ago.

“Oh,” Yuno said, and his left hand trembled under the weight of the crystal.

His voice cracked.

“Asta?”

* * *

Yuno was scared. 

He had his suspicions, but he was afraid.

The possibilities of being wrong… The possibilities of being right.

He wasn’t sure, but he was scared.

Yuno was right all along.

The Wizard King asked Yuno, along with the Black Bulls present, to come with him to his office. Everyone else was dismissed to other responsibilities, and Klaus and Mimosa had constantly looked back over their shoulders until Yuno’s back disappeared into the corner. 

Yuno was scared.

In the Wizard King’s office, there was a man with blue hair. He immediately greeted them when they entered, and the Wizard King asked them all to take a seat. Yuno didn’t want to take a seat. 

For a moment, the Wizard King was distracted by the spirit by Yuno’s side, but after some light scolding by the blue haired person, Marx Francois, the Wizard King quickly cleared his throat and smiled professionally. 

“So… Yuno. It must have been a big surprise to you.”

It had. 

Noelle was sending nervous glances at him. Charmy, on the other hand, was still gaping with an amazing expression on her face.

Asta… Yuno couldn’t look at Asta. What if it was just an illusion? A hallucination? Across the years Yuno had a lot of nightmares about Asta, so it could just be that—

“Sir Yuno,” Marx’s voice broke Yuno out of his thoughts. Meeting the other’s eyes, the teen found himself breathing steadily. Marx’s gaze was understanding and calm. This was reality, Yuno understood. 

“What I’m about to tell you is all confidential to the public. This is concerning Anti… Or Asta, and it would be very helpful if you could cooperate with us.”

Yuno nodded.

Eyes softening, Marx exchanged glances with the Wizard King, and the Wizard King nodded.

“Would it be alright if you tell us about Asta?”

Yuno nodded.

The spirit was sitting on his shoulder, just as the anti-bird, Nero, was on top of Asta’s head.

Nero was staring at him with its blank eyes. Yuno couldn’t look back, but he could see it through his peripheral vision. 

Yuno wasn’t sure where to start.

“... As… Asta and I… We were abandoned at the church at my… Our village, on the same… Day.”

What else did he remember about Asta?

“He… Was loud.”

And then?

“And… When Recca… Our younger sister, when Recca and I eventually learned how to use our magic, he… Asta couldn’t. He was very jealous of us, but he never gave up… On himself. He believed that he could eventually use it, too. Magic.”

Asta… 

“Ten years ago, when we were six or five… It was snowing, and I... ” Yuno felt himself pausing. He couldn’t continue, his hands were getting very sweaty. 

It wasn’t good. Not good at all.

The walls were closing in around him, he couldn’t breathe—

“Hey,” turning, eyes of gold met Noelle’s lavender pink. There was a stern look on the royal’s face, and Noelle continued smoothly. “Where are you right now?”

“... The Wizard King’s office.”

“What is on your shoulder?”

“The spirit…”

“That’s right,” she said, and her gaze hardened. “Now, what is on your mind?”

Yuno stared at her, and he slowly looked back down to his hands. The blue crystal was sitting there, and… Distantly, Yuno recalled a golden chain. The pendant had always been around his neck…

It wasn’t there anymore, the chain.

Closing his eyes, he took a small breath. Opening them, Yuno looked ahead. 

He continued. Tiredly, slowly, and steadily. 

Asta was kidnapped ten years ago. He was trying to help Yuno get back his necklace, but then he got kidnapped instead.

He disappeared, and no one could find him. The people in Hage were beyond angry and frustrated, and they asked for help from the Magic Knights. The Purple Orcas… They were the only ones nearby at the time.

In the end, help never came. 

And from then…

“... I see,” the Wizard King said softly. “So that is how you are able to tell that Anti here is really Asta. Because of the pendant.”

Yuno nodded.

“For the last four years he’d been with us,” Charmy spoke up, “he never let us touch his left hand, la. He must have been protecting it for you this entire time.”

Yuno nodded again.

Eyes glued to the stone in his hands, Yuno squeezed his eyes shut. After a little, he looked up to meet the Wizard King’s eyes.

“... Sir. Could you tell me what’s going on? Why Asta… I don’t… Please?”

_Please tell me. Please tell me what exactly happened to him. Across these years..._

_Away from home. Away from safety. How he got that grimoire, how he ended up here._

Yuno was feeling very lost.

Afternoon light was sinking into the room in strings. Julius Novachono nodded, and a small smile was there resting on his lips.

“Of course," he said. "It is only right, after all.”

Nero nested deeper into Asta’s hair, and the boy’s half lidded eyes continued to gaze towards the ground.

Stories were exchanged. 

It soon became dusk.

* * *

“Yuno, is everything—”

“Everything is alright,” Yuno said. It was dark out, and Yuno had just returned to the Golden Dawn’s headquarters. Falling quiet at Yuno’s response, Klaus nodded and pushed up his glasses.

“... I… Mimosa and I, we will be waiting for you at the cafeteria tomorrow morning. See you then, alright?”

“... Yeah. See you then.”

Turning away, Yuno walked down the halls to his room. Closing the door behind him, he stood there in the dark. Fluttering by, the spirit hovered into his vision. Her eyes were gazing into his, and Yuno wasn’t alone.

He locked the door. Changing out of his uniform, he threw himself under the covers of his bed.

Yuno stayed like that for a another few hours.

… _Recca. Sister Lily... Father Orsi._

_Asta’s safe._

_Asta is okay._

_He’s…_

_He’s here._

_Asta is here._

He hiccuped, and Yuno noticed that there were no tears. Touching his face, the muscles… They were lax.

 _... Say, Yuno,_ Sister Lily had asked. _Could you… Maybe, smile for your siblings?_

Cupping his face, the teen stared into the darkness.

 _It isn’t that I don’t want to,_ Yuno thought. _But… I don’t know. I don’t know why._

_I can’t smile._

_I can’t cry._

_I’m sad, but I’m not crying._

Hugging himself, Yuno squeezed his eyes shut.

_Cry._

_Just cry._

He couldn’t.

Everything was so blurry… How frustrating.

Mana was a guiding hand. Placing her tiny hand on top of his, the Wind Spirit smiled at him gently. 

He stared at the spirit. He stared at her for a long time, and after a little… Yuno found himself finally fading into sleep.

For once, throughout these ten years... Nightmares failed to haunt his dreams.


	15. Run Along

“He’s… Still staring at it, huh,” Noelle whispered. 

_Asta. Thank you for holding onto this for me this long._

“Yeah… He is, isn’t he,” Finral replied.

_But… If it is okay, could you keep this? This is… It’s not mine, anymore._

_I want you to have it._

The blue crystal was sitting on Anti’s palm. Anti was staring at the blue crystal that was sitting on his palm.

Noelle, Charmy, and Finral stared at Anti as he stared at the blue crystal that was sitting on his palm.

Owen’s checkup went smoothly, and now they were about to head home. 

Anti… That was right. They know his real name, now. 

Asta.

* * *

The information given was treated, of course. There were a number of things that could not be disclosed, and from the look in Yuno’s eyes, Marx knew that the rookie Magic Knight knew that fact and understood why.

It was… Surprising, still. The sudden news took Marx off guard. Four years… To think they would be able to find out about Anti’s origins this quickly. 

Asta, a missing orphan from the village of Hage. 

_Four years ago, he was found by the Golden Dawn at the Diamond Kingdom border. Due to his Anti-Magic powers, we had him under the custody of the Black Bulls, but it was also to keep an eye on his emotional and physical state. As you may have observed, in contrast to what you said about Asta… Asta here is extremely drawn back. While he_ did _regain strength considerably, he is still extremely frail._

There were more that was stated, but many details were still excluded. It was a precaution against the Diamond Kingdom (along with the recent Eye of the Midnight Sun) in case they had a mage or tool that worked similar to Marx’s Memory Magic.

_So due to security reasons, we cannot allow you to inform your village about Asta…_

_However,_ Julius had cut in with a grin, _with omission of details, you are allowed to tell them that he is safe and sound… And currently working as a Magic Knight of this kingdom._

Cruel, it might be, but that was as much as they could do. 

While Anti (Asta) was still technically under the custody of the Order of the Magic Knights as the boy with the Five Leaf, he was now also a Black Bull, thus gaining certain rights and privileges as a Magic Knight.

If Asta wanted, he could always visit Hage with Yuno. There was nothing stopping him from doing so…

But of course, that was if Asta wanted to do so.

All that was left was simple communication, which Marx had no intention of being involved with. Anti—excuse him, _Asta_ , needed his opportunities to grow, as well. So yes, Marx had no intention of being involved in that aspect of his life. Making sure that the bimonthly reports get here in time and properly organized, however, he would make sure of. Marx was a busy person.

Because of a certain Wizard King.

“Master Julius, I’d like it if you don’t block the Communication Magic anymore,” Marx said sternly as said Wizard King let out a soft laugh. “This time has really gone too far.”

“Yes… I know,” his silly smile grew into a more serious one, and the Wizard King was gazing out of the window. It was morning in Clover, and hints from the previous battle in the Royal Capital was near nonexistent. 

“This time has truly gone too far.”

While the buildings and roads were all fixed quickly, the scar of worry and distrust might continue to grow. The Order of the Magic Knights had to get themselves together… The terrorist attack had caused a disturbance within the kingdom. Not to mention what happened with Captain Fuegoleon...

If the trust of the civilians were to be lost, the Clover Kingdom would long be in the losing battle against enemy forces. 

“The Eye of the Midnight Sun knows about An… Asta,” Marx commented. Julius nodded.

“I worry, but it seemed like Asta wasn’t their main objective in the end. From what I observed, they only tried to take him because they found his Anti-Magic interesting. As for Fuegoleon’s necklace…”

Concerning, it was. The tablet and the embedded stones. 

What was the goal?

Their objective?

Two of the terrorists had been captured—one by the Wizard King and the other by Charmy Pappiston of the Black Bulls (she got promoted shortly after that). As one of the main people in charge of interrogating captured criminals and offenders—

Marx paused at that.

… Just how many positions _was_ he in charge of?

Shaking his head, Marx glanced down to the papers gathered in his hands. 

Whatever the case, they had to get as much information from those two as possible. The possibility of a traitor… It sent shivers down his spine. Traitors weren’t unusual as spies were a normal occurrence, but…

He sighed. It was still stressful. If the traitor ended up being someone higher ranked, someone who _should_ be trustworthy, then… 

Wouldn’t that just be horrible?

“... From what we gathered, their plans definitely had to do with those stones, but we have no idea what they could be. And in that case…

“Wizard King, don’t go running off again, alright?”

Julius laughed again.

Sighing, Marx made a mental note to check with Asta later. His companions and himself deserved a break, but sometime soon… Marx should check his memories again. 

The act itself made him feel guilty, however. Anti-Magic made his magic rather unstable, so Marx could only pick up sparse strings of thought while looking through his memories. 

Marx was still able to find out about the details of his captivation, however. The impressions of them, at least. It wasn’t limited to what the Diamond Kingdom had done, but to have the knowledge of what happened through the boy’s eyes… Knowing _what_ exactly had been done to him, what the Diamond Kingdom and his previous captors did _to_ him... 

It did things, and they were probably not even half of what really happened.

Marx couldn’t help but think using his spells on the boy was akin to all of that.

“But I really do wonder…” Hands placed together, Julius was no longer smiling. The look on his face gave Marx a bad feeling. “The fact that the Eye of the Midnight Sun knows about Asta’s Anti-Magic…

“A traitor doesn’t seem all that unreasonable, among the Captains and Vice Captains, that is.”

… It was a sad thought.

* * *

Breakfast was surprisingly okay.

Waffles with fruits… Whip cream… And then a cup of freshly brewed tea. Yuno wasn’t sure what kind of tea it was, but he supposed he could always ask Mimosa later. Klaus and Mimosa were sitting across from him with their own set of breakfast. As the Golden Dawn’s headquarters had a lot of windows, the cafeteria was very bright with morning light.

The Wind Spirit, a Sylph, was sitting beside his teacup. Ripping off a small piece of his waffle, Yuno wondered if Sylphs ate human food in the first place. Offering the waffle, the spirit eagerly accepted it with a bright smile. 

_… Well, that answered my question._

“So… Yuno,” Mimosa began. “Um, about yesterday…?”

Sitting beside Mimosa, Klaus looked awfully nervous. Blinking slowly, Yuno glanced down to the Sylph, who, with a very curious gaze, was examining the waffle from all angles.

“... Anti…” After a small pause, Sylph began munching on the waffle with a very happy expression. “He turned out to be someone I knew from years ago. We… Our village, I mean. We thought we had lost him.”

“Eh?” Mimosa drew back in surprise. “Anti… Someone you knew…?”

Yuno nodded. “His name is Asta.”

“O-oh…” Klaus shuffled on his seat. Glasses drooping down, he quickly pushed it back up. “Well, uh. How did you figure...?”

Sylph… Yuno wasn’t sure if that was actually her name. She _was_ a Sylph, but being called that way all the time… It just didn’t seem like an actual name.

“He was holding onto this pendant I used to have. I could recognize it from anywhere... And after some confirmation, we came to the conclusion that he was really Asta.”

“So that was why the Wizard King asked you to come with him,” Mimosa realized. Eyes softening, she smiled at the other.

“... What a surprise it must have been, huh!”

Yuno nodded. Maybe he should try thinking up a name for Sylph. Would that be alright?

Klaus, who remained a bit silent, glanced nervously to the side. There were a few thoughts on his mind, but he wasn’t sure if he should voice them out loud. 

First of all…

_What in the world._

Secondly… 

The senior knight was reminded of Hage. Could Asta’s disappearance be linked with their distrust with the Magic Knights? The cold look both Yuno and the villagers had... Was Klaus thinking too much about this? Anti was Yuno’s lost friend (were they even friends in the first place?! But Yuno had looked so surprised when Anti had dropped that crystal in his hand—!), and that thought left Klaus’ mind spinning for a few seconds.

Anti, the mysterious Black Bull with strange negation abilities. Asta.

“... Should we refer to Anti as Asta, now?” Mimosa asked with the tilt of her head.

Yuno shrugged. 

Anti wasn’t that talkative in the first place… And to begin with, Klaus was pretty sure he never even heard his voice before. Frowning to himself, Klaus was beginning to get even more confused. 

Without any doubt, Anti had gone through a lot—just _look_ at him. But wait. If that was the case… Hage thought “they had lost him.” That could mean many things. Death… Kidnapping?

Klaus paused.

Back then, when they had visited the village because of Salim…

... 

But then again, the way the other Black Bulls acted around him… There weren’t many notable incidents to think of, but the Cheery Berserker and Mimosa’s cousin, Noelle, were rather close with the boy. Was “Anti” just a nickname, if that was the case?

“Asta didn’t seem to talk a lot,” Mimosa pointed out. “Maybe his friends didn’t know because he wasn’t able to tell them?”

Yuno shrugged again. He gave another piece of his waffle to the spirit, who accepted it with a cheerful giggle.

“Yuno,” Yuno looked up to meet Mimosa’s eyes. She was smiling. “Have you written to your village, yet?”

“... No,” he admitted. “I wasn’t sure what to write…”

She smiled brighter. “We can help you! Your village deserves to know, after all. How long it must have been! Are you planning to meet up with Asta later? Vice Captain Langris said that we are on a break today. It was Captain Vangeance who asked him to tell us.”

Blinking slowly, Yuno looked down to his plate. “... Probably. I’m not sure.”

Klaus pushed up his glasses. “We could always contact the Black Bulls. I’m sure Noelle and Asta are also given a holiday after everything that had happened recently. What happened to the pendant you talked about, earlier?”

“... I gave it back to Asta,” Klaus blinked at those words. Letting out an even breath, Yuno finished up his breakfast. “But… Yeah, I think I want to go see him again.”

After a small pause, he looked up to meet both of their eyes.

“Could you two come with me?”

Yuno was probably not aware how much those words meant to them. Nodding, the oldest of the three hid a smile of relief as he readjusted his glasses, a hand over his face. 

Mimosa clasped her hands together. “Of course, Yuno!”

Before Yuno left the Royal Capital last night, his entire body felt tired and faint. There were multiple instances when his vision began doubling, but he tried to push away the lethargy to gain courage and look ahead. 

_Asta,_ he stopped the Black Bulls before they left.

_I… Thank you for holding onto this for me this long. But… If it is okay, could you keep this? This is… It’s not mine, anymore._

_I want you to have it._

He placed the blue crystal on the other’s hand, and the revelation that _yes, this is Asta_ became more obvious in his mind.

Ten years… That was really a long time. Both of them were Magic Knights… It was amazing thinking about it.

Yuno felt distant, and Asta stared after him as he turned to walk away.

* * *

“By the way, your uniform—not the robes, the other part of it—is almost ready,” Klaus informed his junior. “Afterwards, I will take you to go get them and make sure they fit right. If you have yet realized, the color of the cape represents our ranks as Magic Knights. Among the brigades of this kingdom, only Golden Dawn has a full uniform for our knights.”

Klaus’ cape was in a darker shade of blue. Mimosa’s, on the other hand, was a customized red.

“Eh? But Klaus,” Mimosa placed a hand near her lips. “Don’t a lot of the knights change the color according to their own preferences? I heard Hamon is an Intermediate ranked Magic Knight just as you are, but your capes are in different colors.”

Klaus sputtered.

“... I… I suppose most don’t exactly follow that rule anymore,” and then to himself, he murmured with slight confusion. “I was told that when I first joined the Magic Knights, though…”

“Looks like Captain Vangeance doesn’t care about the dress code all that much,” Yuno commented blankly. Klaus wished he could tell Yuno to put his words a bit more politely, but after some decision making, he decided to give up on that just this one time.

Kikka was a good place to meet up with others. It was a lot less busy without the Magic Knights Entrance Exam, but the attack on the Royal Capital made it even more so quiet. Nevertheless, Klaus was glad that the city was still active with open businesses. He was afraid that the recent terrorist attack had stifled the hope and faith within the three leaves…

Yuno, on the other hand, enjoyed the peaceful quiet. 

“Ah! There they are,” Mimosa pointed ahead. “Miss Noelle! Anti—ah, is it Asta, now?”

Noelle looked over her shoulder with a look of surprise. While standing beside her was the familiar sight of Asta, there was another Black Bull as well. He looked slightly familiar, oddly enough.

A hand was extended with a friendly smile.

“I’m Finral! It’s very nice to meet you three. Thanks for looking after my juniors during the joint missions.” Klaus took the hand.

“Klaus Lunettes. So you are Finral Roulacase of the Black Bulls.”

At the corner of Mimosa’s sight, she caught a glimpse of blue. Looking towards Asta (Nero, as usual, was nested on the top of his head), she noticed a blue crystal sitting there on his raised hand, his palm parallel to the ground. The crystal… It must be the pendant that Yuno talked about. 

“Good morning,” she greeted, and Asta blinked slowly. His eyes were still glued to the crystal.

Asta would blink whenever someone would say something to him. A small smile formed on Mimosa's lips.

“Yuno, right?” Eyes of gold met Finral’s purple. There was a pleasant, smiling expression on the older’s face. Yuno nodded.

“Finral’s the one who took care of Anti… Asta, for the last few years,” Noelle simply stated with the cross of her arms. “So if there is anything you want to ask about… You know who to go to.”

“I was taken off guard when I heard of the news!” Finral said with a sheepish laugh. “I’m really glad that you two finally found each other again.”

“... Right,” Yuno said, and at the sound of his voice, Asta slowly looked up from his hand. Their eyes met, and for a moment, there was this awkward silence.

“... Hi,” Yuno began lamely, and Asta continued to stare at him. The others were watching from the sidelines.

After a few minutes, Finral broke the silence with the clap of his hands. He suggested walking around the city as a pastime, to which everyone quickly agreed.

According to Finral, the Black Bulls brought Asta to Kikka a lot back when he was still healing. When questions were brought up by Mimosa in her usual airheaded way, the Black bull dodged them with swift expertise.

“How did Asta end up with the Black Bulls” and “why are you guys taking care of Asta,” those questions were avoided very well. During these instances, Finral reminded Yuno of Luck, the Lightning Magic user of the Black Bulls.

With the context given by the Wizard King the day before, the way how Luck looked at him began to make a lot of sense…

_Why do you ask?_

Yuno’s ears burned with slight embarrassment. The Lightning Magic user… He was probably only trying to find clues about Asta’s past. It was so obvious, now, and Yuno...

… Should they even call Asta “Asta?” Shouldn’t they stick with “Anti?” “Anti” had been his name for years now, right? Does Asta even…

But the pendant. He held on his pendant for this long. Asta wouldn’t have kept the pendant if he didn’t remember, or would he?

Anti was really Asta, and they hadn’t seen each other for ten years. 

… They… They were practically strangers now, weren’t they.

...

Yuno suddenly felt very sick.

How could he think about such a thing? It was unfair, and Yuno didn’t deserve to think this way. After all—when Yuno was safe back at home, with Sister Lily and everyone else, Asta was… 

Until four years ago...

Because of Yuno.

Because of that damned necklace.

_Because of Yuno._

Something ugly stirred in his stomach. Looking down to his hands, the sounds around him were washed away into white noise.

A lock of hair near his left ear was gently tugged on. Blinking, Yuno turned his gaze towards the little spirit sitting on his shoulder.

“Yuno,” the Sylph said, and a bright smile formed on her lips. “There, there!”

…

“Why don’t we go eat at a restaurant? I know a good place,” Finral’s voice reached his ears as they walked past stores and stalls.

“Sure. It is getting near noon, after all," Klaus agreed. He was pushing up his glasses as per usual, and Mimosa chuckled in response with her hands behind her back.

“The weather is really good today… Maybe we can go buy some crepes after lunch!”

Eyes brightening at the suggestion, Noelle quickly replied, “I-I don’t see why not. After lunch, that is.” 

Her hand was holding Asta’s, and Asta was staring at the crystal sitting on his other hand.

Closing his eyes, Yuno took a small breath. Gazing up towards the streets of Kikka, he took a step forward. 

_To everyone back at home,_

_I’m not sure where to begin, but Mimosa and Klaus told me to just write it directly. I am grateful to have them as friends._

The restaurant was filled with people. Finding a table, they each picked what they wanted to order from the menu.

_I found Asta._

_I don’t think he remembers me, or any of us, but he’s safe and healthy._

The food was very good. Eating slowly, Yuno shared a bit with the spirit as well. Asta was sitting across from him. He took his fork and began eating with slow, dragging bites. From what it seemed... Once he wasn't fighting, Asta always moved slowly.

_He’s been working as a Magic Knight. A Black Bull, and I think he is the one who saved Saussy with his squad mates, back when that village got attacked. We worked together to protect the Royal Capital, the news should reach Hage by now._

_I also got promoted, so don’t worry about me. Asta got promoted as well._

Finral told little stories about their adventures with Asta. They were minuscule and quick, but they lasted lifetimes, too. Klaus was astounded when he heard that Asta had gotten lost once (and twice) when they went out shopping. Nero always brought him back safely, however.

_The Black Bulls are all good people, so Asta is in a good place, now._

Paying for the food, they left the establishment with full stomachs. The sky was bright and blue.

_When we're ready, I will ask Asta if he wants to visit._

_He's really in a better place now, though. I wanted to tell you all._

_From, Yuno._

It was fine that they were strangers. It was okay.

Right now…

Just spend the day to relax. To take a deep breath.

Life was a series of coincidences, after all. So things… Things would be fine. It was going to be alright.

Silver bells rang with the wind years ago. A merchant had been selling them for a far too expensive price, and it wasn't like they needed it in the first place. But, even so... To a younger Yuno, the sound of the bells had always been soothing. Calming.

Serene.

Yuno thought up a name for the Sylph.

Taking another step forward, mana was like a friend.

Would “Bell” be okay?

" _Sally_. Master Licht _specifically_ told us to _not_ touch the Anti-Magic kid, and now look what you have done! We could've gone away without any trouble, but then _t_ _he Wizard King came and nearly slaughtered us all_. This is _serious_!"

"Eh~? But I was so curious, though! Come on, Valtos! It's _Anti-Magic_! Who _wouldn't_ be curious about such a thing?"

_Patry._

Patry grimaced.

_... I... Sorry. I will reprimand them._


	16. Diamond Deserters

“I _called_ it!” Gauche slammed his hands onto the table before aggressively whipping a finger at Charmy. “ _Pasta?!_ Of _course_ he wouldn’t say that as his first word! The kid’s been trying to tell us his _name_ this entire time!”

“L-la?! But I was teaching him how to say ‘pasta!’ How would I know, la?! Don’t go disrespecting food!” 

“You—say for yourself! You’re disrespecting the freaking _kid_!”

Finral never thought he would witness the day that Gauche of all people would be throwing hands with Charmy. While weird, it was oddly awe-inspiring.

“Anti~!” Vanessa plopped down beside Asta with a silly smile on her face. “So _that’s_ what's been in your left hand this entire time, huh! Guess what I got for you!”

The boy blinking slowly in response, the witch grinned a little before fishing out a hoop of thin, silver chain.

“Now you can wear the crystal without worrying that you might drop it! Neat, right?”

As green eyes blinked again, Vanessa waited for a moment before quickly attaching the chain onto the crystal and putting it over the boy’s head—all with the use of her Thread Magic. Since the crystal was what Asta had been protecting all along, she wanted to make sure he was okay with her approach before doing anything next. With the crystal now dangling around his neck, Asta could now use his left hand as freely as he pleased. Four years of tension… Magna hoped that no more destruction would befall on anyone _if_ anyone would ever bump into his left hand again.

_But still… Someone who knew him, eh? That’s kind of… Wow._

_It’ll take some time getting used to his real name, though._

Asta blinked again. After a short pause, a weak hand went ahead and tucked the crystal behind his Black Bull robe.

“Fn…” He murmured, and Finral quickly got to his side. Gauche and Charmy were still yelling at each other, except now for a completely different reason.

* * *

Nearly three months in as a Magic Knight, Noelle went through many life and death situations one after the next. Saussy, the dungeon, and then the Royal Capital… Stomping through the forest, she huffed to herself as sweat made silver bangs cling on her forehead.

Noelle Silva. Fifteen, royalty, and a member of the Black Bulls Magic Brigade. Here in the bright morning of Clover, she was currently in the search of wild herbs in the hideout’s surrounding forests. Why, you might ask?

Well. 

She was royalty, so why not.

Or more precisely… Sighing, the royal girl kicked the ground tiredly. The bottom of her sandal scraped against dirt. 

Three months ago, before she joined as a Magic Knight… Noelle never expected things to end up this way, not even in the slightest. If there was something to admit… 

That would be genuine fear. Fear for the future... The presence of anxiety.

The Black Bulls had the strangest reputation. They used to be known as the Worst-Magic-Brigade-Ever, but lately... Like last year, they sometimes even won over other brigades during the Star Festival. Even so, they were still an odd group… So at the news that she was to join the Black Bulls, Noelle really had no idea how the future would be like for her.

And then during her first day, Yami dropped a sudden bomb.

_Since you’re a newbie, you'll be teaming up with Anti for now. Make sure he doesn’t get lost, and just look after each other. Now your first mission: go hunt a boar._

… Solid had joked about how being a Black Bull meant doing stuff like hunting boars, or in other words, things that were deemed unseemly and _royalty should absolutely never do_. 

Noelle’s hope to get stronger kind of diminished, but it wasn’t like she was expecting much in the first place. Except…

While the Black Bulls met her expectations, at the same time, they didn’t.

She learned a new spell. Shielding Saussy, a little girl crying as she gripped tightly onto Noelle’s clothes, Noelle learned a new spell. The chief of the village passed away... But the people still thanked them. The little girl thanked her.

Anti was inspiring. Her view on the Black Bulls completely changed since then, and she was thankful. Grateful.

Noelle was bad at controlling her magic. The Black Bulls never laughed at her, however, unlike her family… Her brothers and sister.

They were like a… 

She wasn’t sure how to describe it, but they made her happy.

Fuegoleon’s words echoed in her mind. He said that the Black Bulls were truly the best place for her to grow, as a mage and a Magic Knight.

For someone _that_ great to tell her such a thing… Why did Nozel appoint her as a Black Bull, if she was such a failure for the Silva name?

Noelle shook her head. Whatever the case, she was going to dig up some herbs that could potentially help with Asta’s wounds. Something that would ease his muscles! He always overused them, after all. Even though he regularly goes to check up with Doctor Owen, she could tell that he was still in a lot of pain based on his ki. 

If there was something she could do to help… Well, she was going to do it, right? 

Noelle was royalty, after all. Blinking, her eyes caught a familiar shaped plant growing by some bushes. A bright smile formed on her face as she quickly bent down to pick it from the ground. Previously, Noelle had asked the doctor about herbal medicine. Apparently there were some pretty useful herbs that could be found near the Black Bulls’ hideout, and the fact that she actually found them...

Noelle was filled with pure ecstasy. Now she could actually help Asta—!

A presence. The royal girl paused. 

There was someone nearby, an unfamiliar ki...

“Ah, young miss! I’m sorry for bothering you, but could I ask for a bit of your help?”

Turning around, Noelle came to a pause.

...

There was a man.

A very naked man.

* * *

“Oi,” Yami stared down at the trembling, beaten up stranger with an aura of _do one thing and I’ll kill you, you creepy bastard_. The lounge of the hideout was always lively, but this was the most lively it could probably ever get. Everyone was fuming. Noelle, openly crying, was sitting beside Vanessa as the older tried to console her. Luck looked like he was really to slaughter the man with that wide smile of his, but back off, Yami called dibs on the slaughtering.

“I—It’s a misunderstanding! Please! All of my belongings got stolen by bandits, that’s why—”

“You think I’ll believe you, bastard?” The Lord of Destruction cracked his knuckles menacingly. “How _bold_ of you trying to approach one of my brigade members like that. It’s a death sentence, I’m telling you.”

“No, seriously!” Out of panic, blue eyes were darting from one person to the next, as if trying to find someone who was willingly enough to listen. Too bad for him, though, because all of the Black Bulls here were probably very angry right now—

The stranger’s eyes suddenly widened in surprise. “Huh? Wait—no wait, you! The kid sitting over there, aren’t you—?!” 

Yami blinked slowly. Following his gaze, the Dark Magic user spotted Anti (ah, he was Asta, now) sitting on the wooden chair at the very corner of the room. Nero was nested in his hair as usual.

What. Did this guy seriously spot Asta and thought he could help him somehow? Well, he was out of luck then. The kid’s just staring off to the distance, probably daydreaming or something. He does that when he was tired, which was basically all the time. 

“Look, here…”

“No, really!” The stranger’s voice spiked in panic. “You, I recognize you! I know that kid, please believe me!”

Yami narrowed his eyes.

“Then what’s his name?”

The man trailed into silence.

…

He nervously looked away.

“Uh. He never told me—careful with that!” Falling backwards as Yami stabbed the ground in front of him, the red haired man scrambled to get stable ground. “Ah! H-here’s the thing! I taught the kid before! Years ago, I was his teacher!”

“Teacher?” Magna raised an eyebrow. “Teacher for what?”

“The sword!” 

… His ki wasn’t lying. Yami glanced back at Asta.

“Hey, kiddo. You recognize this guy?”

Asta, who was still sitting quietly on his chair, only blinked slowly after a slight pause. 

“Maybe he’s not close enough!” Luck chirped as he went ahead, carrying Asta off the ground by his chair. Plopping him down in front of the man, they all waited for the boy’s statement. 

The man and the boy stared at each other.

“Well?” Yami nudged. “Anything familiar?”

Asta blinked slowly again. The man, on the other hand, had this growing look of graveness on his face.

… So he really knew the kid, huh.

“You…” The man began, blue eyes worried as he looked up and down Asta. “This is…”

The concern was genuine. Trailing into silence again, the man finally sighed. He sounded slightly defeated. 

“I really thought you died, but to think you’re actually… And not to mention with _the_ Black Bulls,” chuckling, a tearful smile was formed. His gaze was soft as he looked up to meet the boy’s eyes.

“It’s been nearly five years, right? I’m so glad you seem fine. It’s me... Do you remember Fana or Mars? Ladros?”

Green eyes stayed lifeless. A beat and then another, all of the Black Bulls gazed curiously at the pale haired boy.

And then they felt it—the slight twitch of a muscle.

Asta’s eyes were only the slightest wider before they returned to their usual half-lidded state. His voice came out of his lips like a scratchy hum.

“....... Z...ll......?”

* * *

Fanzell Kruger, ex-military commander and instructor of the Diamond Kingdom. Five years ago, with his wife and multiple of his students, the mage left his country with the intentions of setting up a revolution. Diamond was brutal and cruel to even its own citizens, not to mention the unethical experiments conducted by the Magic Scholars… A change had to be done.

Yami had actually fought the guy in the battlefield before, like ten years ago or something. What a pleasant surprise.

“So… You taught the kid the sword back when you both were in the Diamond Kingdom?” The Captain of the Black Bulls asked as the other (now fully clothed) nodded. 

“Huh. No wonder that he’s so good at fighting, then. Quite the important information we’re getting here.”

FInral was jotting down the notes like crazy.

“One after the other, we keep bumping into people who knew Anti,” Vanessa said with awe and surprise. “You left Diamond about five years ago… If that was the case, then what of the boy?”

Fingers woven together, Fanzell let go of a heavy sigh. “Actually… The main reason why I decided to leave once and for all was because... I… I wasn’t sure what happened to him, and...”

“You thought he died,” Gauche stated, and the Diamond Deserter held back a pained expression.

“Yes... I thought he died. I knew that the Magic Scholar, Morris, had plans for the boy, but I never caught on until it was too late. Many of my students were already taken away at the time as well… Hectic, it was.”

“And now you’re going back and forth from here to the Diamond Kingdom?” Vanessa asked with the tilt of her head. Because all of the Black Bulls knew how to read ki, they could tell the man wasn’t lying about the revolution. Nodding, Fanzell laughed softly.

“Clover Kingdom is our immediate neighbor, after all. Spade had been pretty aggressive with its invasions, so anywhere near _there_ was and is currently very dangerous. My wife is currently taking refuge here with innocent civilians who had no choice but to leave Diamond. The smaller villages, of course... We won’t do anything that would disturb your kingdom.

“But, if I may ask…” Eyes turning more serious, he frowned. “About Asta, for how long exactly had he been like… This?”

At that question, the Black bulls exchanged glances with each other. The question implied a lot of things, so Finral placed a hand behind his neck before making his answer.

It was almost scary, realizing that they were actually learning more about Anti than ever.

Looking back, before the start of this new year… Things were actually pretty peaceful.

“He… Asta was like this ever since he was found at Diamond’s border. But assuming from your words... Are you saying that Asta wasn’t like this when you were with him?”

Blinking slowly, Fanzell nodded. He was looking more and more concerned by the second. “Even though he was quiet, it wasn’t like… I’m not sure how to describe it, but… Back then, he had more expressions. He was scared, of course, so he didn’t speak up a lot, but… He still showed emotions. He had light in his eyes.”

“I… I see.” 

A heavy silence hung over the Black Bulls’ hideout. Asta looked like he was about ready to fall asleep.

An odd peace it was. 

Recalling the behavior of Golden Dawn’s Yuno, Noelle nibbled on her bottom lip. 

“Did he have his grimoire, la?”

Taken off guard by Charmy’s question, Fanzell blinked again. 

“Grimoire? Um, what grimoire are you speaking of...?”

_…_

_He doesn’t know about the Anti-Magic._

If that was the case, then the reason why Asta became the way he was now…

Finral swallowed.

Could it be?

Taking a breath from his cigarette, Yami leaned back on his seat. 

“... Ah, so complicated. To think we’re actually doing our work, now. Is this even part of the job description?”

“Uh, excuse me? What is this about a grimoire?”

“Very classified, but I suppose we can tell Mister Teacher,” before Finral had the chance to sputter, Yami continued. “The kid’s got this very strange grimoire—a Clover one, mind you. Don’t know how he got it, but you might know something, right?”

Fanzell’s frown deepened even more. “That’s... You said he was found four years ago, then doesn’t that mean...?”

Asta was nine when he first met Fanzell. It was only a few months later when he disappeared from Fanzell Kruger’s life, approximately _then_ the ex-military commander left the kingdom. That was five years ago, and Asta was found a year or so later by the Golden Dawn’s Captain, William Vangeance.

The mystery of the Five Leaf stood strong. Finral had no idea how someone so young could receive a grimoire like that. Assuming something happened during the time Fanzell left Diamond… But then again, the Five Leaf was a _Clover_ grimoire. 

How did a Clover grimoire end up in the Diamond Kingdom?

The left hand problem was solved. They knew about Asta’s _origin_ origin now, and how he was a lost orphan from the village of Hage. If they could work together with Fanzell, perhaps the mystery behind Asta’s Anti-Magic could be…

“Well, whatever the case, it seems to me that the Morris guy or whatever is up to no good,” Yami commented blandly.

“Yes… He is definitely up to no good,” Fanzell agreed. Turning towards Asta, blue eyes softened with a gentle smile. “But in the end… It’s really surreal. To think I’ll really get to see you again.”

Sniffling, the Wind Magic user laughed at himself and he wiped closed eyes with the back of his hands. 

“Ah… I feel so old. All of the memories are catching up to me... I’m really glad that you’re finally at a safe place. I wasn’t able to help you despite everything.”

Stirring awake, Asta slowly gazed up to Fanzell. He stared at him for a bit, and at that, all of the Black Bulls felt a small shift. A small smile reached Finral’s face.

“He really does remember you, huh…!”

Across these four years, the biggest surprise for Yami was how Finral was suddenly able to read ki. There was this one time the kid got weak knees after walking around, but before he got the chance to fall down, the courier managed to catch him with a chair swiftly.

Similar instances to that kept happening, and it came to Yami’s later realization that taking care of Asta required heightened concentration. Since Finral was basically at the kid’s beck and call, he paid extra attention on making sure the kid was comfortable whenever and wherever. That revelation made Yami laugh, and suddenly, he had a brilliant idea.

Ki reading might as well be the Black Bulls’ specialty! Beat that, Captain Oddball Mask Guy of the “Strongest” Magic Brigade!

* * *

“Wait, so _Code_ is your wife?!” 

The blackmarkets of Kikka was a shady kind of busy. Laughing sheepishly, Fanzell held back an _omph_ as Dominante Code punched him in the gut with love (?). Dominante Code, or Domina, was the salesperson who gave Noelle her wand when she was looking for a magic item to help with her control. The search for the perfect tool for the girl resulted in quite the insane adventure, but with a heartwarming conclusion, Noelle was left with the wand she had in her hand right now. As Vanessa was a frequent customer and a fellow witch, she and Domina had already gone way back (or more precisely, _four-ish years_ ). 

… Well, with that in mind, _so Code was really Fanzell’s wife!_

“You didn’t tell me you were married!” Vanessa joked teasingly as Domina laughed in response. Winking at her friend, the witch made a playful grin.

“Oh come on, Vanessa! I _did_ say that keeping the ‘single status’ brings in more customers! There’s a lot to sell here, after all!”

Fanzell wept a little at that. 

“This is Mariella,” gesturing to the black haired girl who stood at the side, Fanzell recovered from his previous grief of his wife’s statement. “One of my students… She is good in what she does, so with information gathering, you can rely on her.”

“And broadcasting that out loud isn’t stupid,” Mariella voiced blankly as she eyed her teacher with the look of disappointment. “It only means we know what we’re doing.”

_… Not exactly convincing, but we’ll take that._

“Regarding Asta, we’ll do our best with what we can do,” turning more serious, Fanzell held his wife’s hand as she nodded as well. “Considering the fact Diamond should long know about Asta being with the Clover Kingdom, information on him may be scarce. Trying to obtain that information will be very risky, but if it’s for his sake, I’m willing to take that chance.”

… For a child he only knew for a few months, without even knowing his name… That was a lot the man in front of them was willing to sacrifice. 

If things go wrong, the revolution for Diamond might as well collapse and end. The lives of innocents were on the line.

Vanessa nodded. “We’ll be relying on you guys, then.”

But there was no use thinking about that. All they could do was to have faith.

Fanzell felt guilty. Considering his past with Asta and his students, it was understandable for him to feel that way. The ex-commander probably felt responsible over those children’s safety and wellbeing, and to have them taken away to _who knew where_ … Without any doubt, it must have been very scary. 

Smiling, the witch watched as Fanzell tried talking with Asta again. Even though the boy was only staring blankly ahead, she could tell he was paying attention to the older man’s voice. 

A reunion after another… Even if their paths should split apart, fate would bring them back together. 

“Teacher,” Fanzell blinked as Mariella motioned to him. “Regarding communication with the third squad, I have something to tell you.”

As the teacher and student stepped to the side to talk, Domina beamed at Asta with kind eyes. 

“Zell told me about you… In the past,” she began, and squatting a little bit down so they could look at each other face to face, the witch’s eyes softened. “I’m happy to be able to formally meet you, Asta. It’s a pleasant surprise, to think you were actually the kid Zell had been teaching all along!”

Across these four years, when Asta was able to move a little better, Vanessa sometimes brought him to the blackmarkets to look around.

Fate worked in a funny way. Vanessa laughed lightheartedly. 

“Wha—wait, so… Mars…?” Fanzell’s voice of concern reached the others’ ears. Blinking, Domina looked over her shoulder with the tilt of her head.

“What’s wrong, dear?”

“Ah, no… How should I put it…” Scratching the back of his head, Fanzell looked as if taken aback. “One of my students… Uh, one of my students who I wasn’t able to help…”

Meeting Domina’s eyes, Fanzell had an awkward smile on his face. 

“He… He came in contact with us. He wants to help with the revolution.”

“Eh?!” Domina squawked as the Black Bulls looked between the two with confusion. “You sure it’s not a trick or something? I mean, you know!”

Running a hand through his hair, Fanzell made a weak shrug. “I’m not very sure, but…”

“He also smuggled this strange artifact to one of our squads,” Mariella added. “I went to investigate earlier. Apparently, it’s an artifact from one of the recently conquered dungeons—”

Noelle stiffened at that. _Conquered dungeon…?_

“—a rusty sword that absorbs magic.”

... 

Wow.

A rusty sword that _negated_ magic, they knew, but...

...

“... Um,” Noelle began, and everyone turned their attention to her. “How… How does this ‘Mars’ look like?”

Blinking slowly, Fanzell thought back a bit before responding. “The last I saw him… He had spiky hair and pale skin. I’m not sure about now—”

“What’s his attribute?” Luck chirped in with a smile. He understood where Noelle was getting at.

“Eh?" Fanzell blinked again. "Well, it’s Mineral—”

Noelle and Luck exchanged glances.

_… That guy?_

_Yeah, I think it’s that guy. The strong guy._

_But isn’t that guy…?_

_Yeah, that guy almost killed Anti._

_That guy…_

An awkward silence.

_Well…_

“Do you remember Mars, Asta?” Fanzell asked. “You know… Fana? Mars? You three were always together whenever the chance was there…”

Noelle stared at the older man.

_What?_

Standing there silently, Asta’s eyes were gazing towards the ground. For a moment that seemed to last for an eternity, he finally closed his eyes. He was blinking.

“......Fn...” 

It was as if his shoulders were drooping. Asta nodded after a shallow breath. Watching him made the Black Bulls pause with wide eyes. 

Fanzell smiled softly.

“Yeah... Fana.”

The sun. Toes curling inwards.

_If you want to talk, or feel the need to… You can talk about it. Everyone here… Maybe we could relate, I guess._

Grass had been soft beneath his feet. 

Flickers of flames brought warmth and kindness.

Kind eyes… A kind smile.

Seeing the recognition in the way the boy was moving, the ex-military commander looked as if wanting to break down and cry. Years of worry and concern must have accumulated, and now that stress was finally catching up to him.

“Oh, Asta," he sniffled, and fate really worked in a funny way.

A teacher and his student finally reunited. The Black Bull Magic Knights thought back to their previous adventures with Asta.

And now… What was next?


	17. Family

Langris Vaude found himself yawning. Pausing mid-yawn, a frown formed on his face as the Spatial Magic user narrowed his eyes. The office was quiet with stacks of paper scattered on his desk. Rubbing his eyes, the noble shook his head before continuing to write. The cherry tarts the captain got for him was of the best quality, but Langris understood why he even got it for him in the first place.

The nib cracked. Staring at the ink spreading across white paper, teal eyes closed.

… Well, that sucked, but it was not worth getting frustrated over with. All Langris had to do was to rewrite everything again... Simple, really.

Lethargy. He was feeling kind of tired… When was the last he ate, again?

Groaning into his hands, Langris’ mind wandered back to the Vaude duties he had to attend later. There was still a lot more work to do… Other brigade members did not have the clearance level to access these papers.

He sighed.

Dinner could wait.

* * *

The food was amazing. Taking another bite of the spaghetti, Noelle’s eyes boggled at the flavor that met her taste buds. Even though this was a just restaurant in the Common Realm, the food was simply— _wow!_

“I’m glad you seem to like it!” The one who made it was a young woman named Rebecca Scarlet. Rebecca was the older sister of all of her younger siblings, and she was also only a year older than Noelle. “It’s always nice to meet another friend of Anti’s!”

“Ah… Yeah,” Noelle nodded as she wiped her lips with a napkin. “It’s pretty good.”

At the very corner of the establishment was Rebecca’s siblings, a little girl called Marie, and Asta, who was accompanied by Nero. All of them were gathered around a smaller table with their own set of dinner, and sitting on Asta’s lap was Rebecca’s baby brother, Pem.

That was right… Given a (long awaited) vacation by their captain, Noelle and Asta were allowed a break after their intense series of missions. How they ended up at this town, though…

Approximately five hours ago:

“Oi,” Gauche Adlai, a senior member of the Black Bulls, suddenly said. He was holding a photo of his little sister in a hand. 

“We’re heading for Nean.”

Even though he was standing right in front of the two, Noelle had to do a double take before realizing that yes, Gauche was talking to them. 

Thus began the strangest journey Noelle so far had. 

Gauche Adlai… Throughout these three months, Noelle hadn’t really interacted with him. Even though she _did_ see him from time to time… They never spoke to each other, at least until now. 

Abruptly, though. It was very awkward. 

Gauche dragged Finral out of his room so he could port them directly to Nean. While he was doing that, Noelle had been standing awkwardly beside Asta at the lounge. Asta was staring off to space as usual, and the royal wondered if this was a normal occurrence. 

For one… Noelle wasn’t really sure how to feel about Gauche. 

“Nean, right?” Grimoire flipping open, Finral opened a Fallen Angel Gate and flashed Noelle and Asta a smile. “You two have fun, alright? Contact me through the communication device if you need to get picked up!”

“Y-yeah…”

Finral was really the courier of the Black Bulls, huh.

Left at Nean, the three of them stood there in awkward silence. Even though it was Gauche who took the two with him, his attention seemed to be only on buying presents for his “dear little sister, the goddess Marie.” Noelle found this just as bad when they were at the decoration ceremony.

_Awkward. So awkward._

Apparently, being an ex-convict, Gauche was only allowed to see his little sister, Marie, once a month. When the time came, the older Adlai would religiously depart for Nean… But for reasons that Noelle couldn’t quite comprehend yet, it seemed that he often brought Asta along, as well. 

Whenever Asta was free, that was.

That being said…

Come to think about it, Noelle didn’t really know much about Asta aside from the “he’s technically our mission but he’s also part of our squad—actually? Yeah, he’s really just another Magic Knight, so don’t think too hard about the small details” explanation. Missions with him also allowed her to understand a little bit more about her peer, but…

Aside from that? Noelle actually wasn’t sure what Asta would do during his free time. According to Finral (because Finral was the only one who bothered explaining things, not to mention _clearly_ ), everyone took turns partnering up with Asta throughout these years. It was mainly Finral who took care of him, though…

“Anti! Try this, it’s really good!” Luca, one of Rebecca’s younger sisters, brought out a freshly made plate of food. “Rebecca has been testing out new recipes, I think you'll like it!”

“Do you want more potatoes?” Marco, who was the second youngest in the family, held up a bowl as Pem squealed cheerfully, his tiny arms flying into the air. Before his fist nearly whacked Asta in the face, Nero quickly jumped down and changed the trajectory of the baby’s arm. 

Asta accepted the food as he nibbled on a steamed potato. The children adore him very much. 

_… That’s a good thing, I guess._

“My goddess Marie! Your big brother got you many gifts for your birthday, here they are!” 

“Ah! Thank you, Big Brother!” One of the many stuffed animals in her hands, Marie smiled brightly. She was a very sweet girl… A vast contrast to her brutish brother.

“Are you a Magic Knight, too?” Noelle blinked as she looked down. Marco was munching on a potato.

Swallowing, Noelle nodded and flipped her hair while she was at it. “Of course I am, don’t you see my Magic Knight robes? I’m a member of the Black Bulls.”

“Cool! Just like Anti!” The boy chirped. Snot running down his nose, Rebecca quickly got him a napkin to help clean up his face. 

“Yeah,” Noelle nodded again. “Just like Anti.”

“Happy birthday, Marie!” Everyone cheered as the cake was brought out. Marie smiled brightly (again), and Gauche fell over with blood intensely spewing out of his nose (again).

“Thank you, everyone!”

This was a very happy place. A warm feeling left in Noelle’s chest, she enjoyed her share of cake despite feeling slightly out of the loop. They all seemed so close… Nibbling on her fork, she wondered if it was really okay for her to be here. 

Rebecca took a seat next to her. “Noelle, right?”

There was a welcoming smile on the older’s face. Noelle nodded. 

Smiling brighter, the commoner’s gaze drifted to where the kids played. Embers from the lights flickered.

“Anti is like a little brother to me,” Rebecca said, and Noelle kept silent.

“A few years ago, Gauche came to visit Marie… And since Marie often played with my younger siblings, we naturally came to know each other as well. One day he brought Anti along, and the kids were immediately attached to him. Marie, too, to Gauche’s dismay.

“Though, I think Gauche also thinks of him as family as well. Even Sister Theresa can’t refute that fact, haha!”

Noelle blinked slowly. Following the older’s gaze, lavender pink landed on the same sight.

_… Family, huh._

“Why are you suddenly telling me this?” Noelle asked bluntly with a raised eyebrow. Rebecca chuckled. 

“So I was saying… Gauche is already the definition of weird and creepy, so you don’t have to feel out of place in any sort of way,” eyes twinkling, the older continued. “You’re always welcome to come over, like Anti.”

…

Noelle looked away.

“W-well, I better be! I’m royalty, after all!”

Rebecca laughed.

* * *

The definition of family.

Cold water was poured down her head. The mirror in her room was broken with cracks like spiderwebs. 

Hiccuping, Noelle pulled her stuffed animal closer to her chest. The pink rabbit was a friend.

It was shredded right in front of her the very next day.

...

What was the definition of family? 

As a member of one of the three royal houses, there were a series of responsibilities on her shoulders. 

Do not further embarrass the family’s name.

Do not let those below you think they could stand on equal grounds as yourself. 

Even though you are a failure, you are still a member of this house.

Behave.

So Noelle stood with a dignified air. She looked down upon the peasants, and no weakness should be revealed. Noelle Silva was royalty, the youngest daughter of the Silva House.

Family.

_Your existence itself is unnecessary._

_Why did Mother have to die in your place?_

There was a dangerous look in Nozel’s eyes. They were narrowed and scary, along with…

With...

“Anti and Gauche will share a room,” Rebecca was organizing the blankets swiftly with a hum in her voice. “There’s one more guest room, I’ll take you there!”

The house was very small. As a matter of fact, all houses in the Common Realm were small. Looking around in the empty room, Noelle placed a hand on the wood of the shelf. 

“If you need anything, my room’s to the left,” turning around, Rebecca made a smile. “It’s a little bit dusty, but…”

“It’s fine,” Noelle said. “The hideout is even more dusty, so I’m used to it.”

“I see…! Well, have a good night, Noelle!” 

“... You, too.” 

Sitting alone on the bed, Noelle stared out of the window. It was dark out, and there were specks of stars in the skies. 

Family.

_Welcome to the Black Bulls, Noelle!_

The Black Bulls robe was donned through the use of Vanessa’s Thread Magic. Standing nervously before the rest of the team, Noelle was recruited as the newest member of this Magic Brigade. 

They were all so patient with her. Patient and understanding…

To describe them as “family” was strange to her, but maybe families were like that for the commoners of Clover. Rebecca and her siblings were very close, after all, and if that was the case…

Noelle supposed it wasn’t bad. The commoner’s way of seeing "family," it was... Pretty nice. 

Smiling sadly, the royal girl took off her Magic Knights robe and folded it neatly. Placing the cloth on the small table beside the bed, her gaze landed on the insignia of the Black Bulls. Gold lining was sparkling under the moonlight. 

“Alright, then,” throwing herself under the covers, Noelle squeezed her eyes shut. 

_I’m going to get a lot of rest, and then…!_

“The kids are missing?!”

It was dark out, and there was snow. Noelle had woken up in the middle of the night to hear _bloody murder and why was it so cold?!_

“Anti,” Gauche said darkly as his magic flared dangerously. “Remember the drill? We’re going to do it just like what we did to those ragtag bandits a year ago. Time to slaughter those _god_ _damned bastards who dare take Marie right under our noses—!_ ”

Sister Theresa shook her head with a heavy sigh. “I’ll go with them.”

Noelle quickly contacted Finral through the communication device.

* * *

“What?!” The silver haired royal squawked. “I’m coming, too! You can’t just leave me here! I’m a team with Asta!”

“And you can't ride a broom by yourself,” feet setting on the wood, Gauche looked over his shoulder to make sure Anti was secured on his seat behind him. “The town might get attacked again, so protect it.”

Broom taking off, the old hag followed as they darted through the air. Wind was cold as it sliced past their faces. Gauche clicked his tongue. 

_This damn spell…!_

While it was well into December, snow wasn’t expected until a little later. Whoever cast this spell must be skilled, and the thought of it only made him more angry. The fact that no one noticed anything until the kids were long gone… 

Mana detection was one thing, but Gauche should’ve known through ki reading! If only he could sense ki like a second nature... As of right now, only Luck and Finral could do that aside from the captain himself!

Gauche made the broom go faster. Sensing for Marie's magic mirror, his eye zeroed to the hills up ahead.

_It must be there. A cave..._

“Careful, Gauche,” the old hag warned. “Our utmost priority will be the children’s safety, so—”

“I _know_ that,” Gauche spat. “But that doesn’t mean those bastards are gonna get away with this.”

The first time Gauche brought Anti along to Nean was when suddenly, Yami decided it would be a great idea for everyone to take turns looking after the kid. Finral looked _extremely_ worried at that, given the fact everyone managed to still lose him despite being in a _group_ , but after some glare-downs by the captain…

Well, Finral managed to actually grow a backbone and talked back. Yami had looked very surprised, but then irritation took over and Gauche, who was about to go see Marie, suddenly had the kid plopped down into his arms. 

Gauche was already very awkward being around the kid, but then…

It turned out that they made a good team.

A tuft of maroon was spotted in snow. It was Marco… Quickly getting to his side, boiling anger bubbled underneath the Mirror Magic user’s skin. The brat was in a daze, probably under a spell… There were frostbites on his skin. The Mirror Magic user gritted his teeth.

If Marie was also…

“Anti,” Gauche wondered if he should start calling the kid by his so-called ‘actual name,’ “I sense traces of magic on the kid. Can you get rid of it?”

Anti-Magic sword emerging from the pages of the shabby grimoire, Asta gently rubbed the hilt against the kid’s temple. Daze was blinked out of blue eyes, and Marco sat up with a look of surprise.

“... Ah! Anti,” he looked around, and because of the cold, he abruptly shivered. “Eh…?”

“Hold on,” Sister Theresa pulled out her grimoire. Activating one of her spells, candles with light formed around the small boy. It was Recovery Magic. 

The embers on the candle flickered. 

The old hag glanced at Gauche.

“... Remember, the safety of the children comes first.”

Gauche nodded without turning to meet her eyes.

“Get ready, Anti.”

_Time to show them a world of hellfire._

...

A shift, and Gauche prepared his grimoire. 

_Ki sensing + mana detection._

_Mirror Magic: Reflect Refrain._

The white haired criminal let out a yelp Gauche’s spell skillfully avoided all of the vulnerable children. Spotting Marie, who was very awake with _bruises on her face_ , Gauche saw red. 

Asta stood among the crowd of children. There were some yelling from the pathetic thugs, but Gauche could take care of them himself. If the kids were in Asta's care, then nobody would be able to touch them. He knew what he was doing.

Rusty blade blackening, Anti-Magic clad the sword whole. Asta took a small breath through his nose as half-lidded eyes closed.

“Damn it, damn it!” The smelly looking one was in a panicked frenzy. “They said it was going to be an easy job! Magic Knights weren’t supposed to be here!”

“B-brother!” 

“Shut up, Neige! You do something!”

The snowmen created were destroyed immediately. Tears were gathering in the white haired one’s eyes.

Gauche stomped forward.

_Have a taste of despair, idiots._

From the heavy blade, Anti-Magic spread. Black tendrils lightly feathered past the top of the children’s heads, and the kids one by one slowly woke up from their forced slumber. The enemy’s spell came undone, and Asta took another breath.

Green that lacked life stared down the two lowlives.

This was what family was.  
  
  


“This is… Anti,” Gauche introduced lamely. Marie was practically sparkling at the sight of the silent newcomer.

“Big Brother, you made a friend?! I’m so happy!”

The older Adlai did a double take. “Wha—?”

And then they became a family of three, the extended family of Scarlet later joining in.


	18. Taking Turns

The boy scrambled to find his footing. It was bad. Should the adults notice them, it would be very bad. 

They were at an alleyway. Dead in the middle of the night, the moon was hanging over their shoulders. The mansion was only some distance away, they were too close. They had to get farther, _faster_.

“Le… Let’s run…!” He cringed when his voice came out as a hushed whisper. Stretching out his hand, he frantically tried to take the other’s. 

The girl didn’t take it. Instead of taking his hand, she drew back, and a solemn smile was on her face. 

“We’re not leaving, Asta.”

“... Huh?”

He should’ve known, actually. He blamed himself for not noticing.

His only companion was an illusion. She was a spell cast by some person. That was right… When he was first taken to this place, the strange man had touched his head. He didn’t have magic so he couldn’t tell. Wasn't able to.

_Eh? You still can’t use magic, Asta? That’s strange... I’m younger than you, but..._

_I’m… I’m sure Asta would be able to use magic, too! Asta is strong, after all…! He never gives up!_

… It kind of broke him. 

The adults found him. They dragged him back.

He couldn’t remember anything else aside from her face. He hated her face.

* * *

On every battlefield, the victims were always the weak, innocent children. It didn’t matter where… Be it Clover, Diamond, Spade, or even neutral Heart. Wherever war touched, lives would be taken away. Mercilessly. Brutally.

Needless fighting… Strange sense of duty.

The white haired rogue mage was sobbing. Curled up on the ground, another kick was delivered to his head in revenge for Marie’s injuries.

“Gauche, stop attacking that man! His will is already defeated, he can’t fight anymore.”

“Deserving” or not, it was going too far. The elderly nun sighed as the thug-ish Black Bull yelled insults in return. Averting her attention back to the young ones, she quickly checked for any urgent injuries. Soothing Holy Light could help with potential frost bites, but for those whose mana were reaped from… Concerning, it was. 

As a former Magic Knight of the Crimson Lion Kings, Theresa Rapual knew of the darkness that clung within the kingdom’s shadows. Trafficking, black marketing, corruption within ranks and all of that. For these criminals to be hoarding mana like this… Theresa couldn’t imagine what they possibly wanted to achieve.

_Nothing good, of course._

“We have to get them to tell us how to return the children’s magic! So stop that pointless violence, Gauche!”

“Sister Theresa is right!” Marie spoke up, her hand holding firmly onto Anti’s. “Gauche, my injuries are already healed! I’m okay now, so please forgive him…!”

Meanwhile, Baro, the eldest of the two rogue mages, was currently in a moment of frustration and other ugly emotions. 

Because _this wasn’t supposed to happen!_ How _could_ this happen! The children they caught this time were from a random common village, why were the Magic Knights here?! He recognized the symbol the brutish man was wearing, the Black Bulls?!

Baro was supposed to collect those kids’ mana and earn big bucks out of that! This was supposed to be an easy job, and yet—! That damned Neige, he was completely useless! Look at him weeping over there, this sucked! Damn it, damn it! 

The magic item Baro was wearing could see how much mana an individual had. It was intimidating just looking at that Mirror Mage, but then the smaller boy over there… The one with the strange power that was definitely _not_ magic…

What was it? He had no mana. Not an inkling. 

_What the hell?_

Teeth gritting, Baro tasted blood. The old hag was lecturing something about dishonesty and having a heart, but Baro could not give a single damn about it. He had to think—how to get out of this situation? There were a lot of close call situations in the past, he could definitely get out of this! That was right… That terrorist group...

Absolutely. He just had to buy time…!

Little did Baro know that it was also going to be the end of his own life. 

Gauche paused, and he glanced towards the empty space above the weird laboratory structures. 

What was…

Spatial Magic.

Gauche’s eye widened.

“Eh~? You haven’t even collected the tiniest bit of mana! That’s no good, you know!”

“S-shut up!” The slimy black haired thug yelled. “You people sure take your sweet time even though you travel with Spatial Magic! Do something about those Magic Knights, would you?! They shut down our magic collecting! Help us!”

“Magic Knights?” Red eyes that were crazy gazed down at the scene. The appearance of the newcomer brought no good news, and her eyes brightened immediately when she spotted—

… Asta.

“Ooh! It’s the Anti-Magic kid! What coincidence, this is so exciting!” She chirped as her hands clapped together in excitement and glee. “Eh? Oh, but wait… Master Licht _did_ say not to touch him, hm…”

_Master Licht?_

“Gauche,” Sister Theresa’s grimoire was opened with the mana of fire swelling. “I’ll get the children to safety, you…”

“Yeah, yeah,” mirrors formed steadily. Shifting his stance, Gauche narrowed his eye. “Whatever the case, that wench’s probably the reason why Marie got kidnapped in the first place! I’ll never forgive them…!”

And for whatever the reason, they seem to know Asta as well. Was this the terrorist group that had been wreaking havoc around the kingdom nowadays? Eye of the Midnight something?

_Mirror Magic…_

Sister Theresa summoned a Guiding Light Leopard and quickly gathered the children.

_Reflect Refrain!_

Before his spell could hit the enemy, a glomp of gel formed out of thin air, taking the shape of this… Gauche didn’t know what it was, but it warped his attack immediately—a bad matchup. The woman had this crazy look on her face.

“Well, no matter! As long as I don’t _harm_ him in any way, then it’s all fine, right?”

“Hell no!” Mirrors formed quickly around the red eyed woman as she swooped away with her Gel Magic. The damn woman was laughing hysterically, she was crazy!

Sensing the cold murkiness from Asta’s Anti-Magic, Gauche took a step back to make way for the younger’s attack. A thin strip of darkness slashed downwards at the gel, but before it could make contact, the gel split apart before joining back together. 

Asta was already not moving a lot. Even though he had checked up with Owen multiple times the past week, it seemed that his stamina was still shortened considerably—he needed more time to recover. If he could still manage attacks like those, then they still had a little bit more time...

With that in mind, Gauche had to make sure the kid doesn’t overexert himself. As long as they work together, it should be fine!

_Buy time for reinforcements, at least!_

* * *

Light rained down. The immense mana struck Gauche by surprise as shards of light shot down from the air above. His leg and shoulder got stabbed—he turned his gaze to the side.

Asta didn’t get hit, that was good. He didn’t need even more injuries than he had right now. Gauche didn’t care about the white haired mage. The kids, they were alright. Marie was fine, but the look on her face, what about the old hag—?

Gauche’s eye widened, and then there was this strange sound humming in his ears. 

The owner of the Light Magic called himself Licht. He stood there with a smile, and his defeated lackey was there gently carried in his arms. Gauche couldn’t pay attention, there were too many things going on. First they defeated the crazy woman who came out of nowhere, and then that mud monster guy was about to attack Asta, and then the mud monster guy’s brother, full of tears, protected Asta, and then—

The old hag was bleeding out on the ground. She was dying. Asta was right beside her, and he wasn’t moving. Couldn’t. The remaining children were in shock. Screams were escaping their throats in terror, because the granny they loved was dying right in front of them.

Asta was right there. He stood there frozen, his joints locked, and his expression was still unreadable. Dull green were staring at the old hag. Gauche gritted his teeth. There were still a few more of the kids—not to mention Marie! 

The reason why the old hag quit being a Magic Knight was so she could protect the young. She did as she said, but she couldn’t just die here! Not to mention Marie—she was still here! If the old hag died…!

… He had to get them to safety. None of his vital points were hit, after all. So what if he was running out of mana? He had to help them, _so just get up, get up_ — _!_

“Stay down,” the calm, silky voice said, and Gauche got even more angry. 

“Just look how badly you’ve injured my comrade… Poor Sally.” 

_Shut up, just shut up_. 

White pain was burning. Gauche gripped his hands into fists. He only recently gotten a new spell. They could do this, surpass the limits!

“A moment ago, you said it was always the weak who were the victims.”

_Shut up, you…!_

“You’re wrong,” the man continued, his Four Leaf grimoire menacing. “The victims were the strong.

“Targets of jealousy.”

_The young child screamed ‘no,’ and the nobleman scowled, pulling sharper on pale hair._

“Fear.”

_The young child’s eyes were filled with fire, and the dealers stepped back uncomfortably. Intimidated._

_They didn’t like the look in the kid’s eyes… How brightly they burned, and determined and angry they were._

“Discrimination.”

_But he was still a pathetic peasant, some boy without mana. So what if his eyes glared and hands held so stubbornly on that crystal?_

“Persecution.”

_Once they break his spirit, he would not fight back. They could just break his spirit, and he would never fight back._

“And theft.”

_All they had to do was to make him give up..._

_And it would be over, wouldn’t it?_

Gauche stared at the Eye of the Midnight Sun’s leader. He stared at him, and suddenly, Asta was right in front of the man, blackened Anti-Magic sword ready to fall.

The Light Magic user was unfazed. Dodging Asta’s weapon, shards of light materialized out of thin air as the kid turned on his feet. 

Another swing. Missed. Asta pushed forward, unblinking and dangerous. Gauche flinched when Licht raised his hand forward. Anxiety rapidly grew—

Before swords of light hit Asta, the enemy boss’s arm suddenly jerked backwards. Light blades grazed past the kid’s skin, and the Mirror Mage found himself pausing.

_… What?_

Asta stopped moving. He stood with his skin burning only the tiniest bit red, but...

After a small pause, Licht smiled. 

“There is no point to stay here any longer.” Nodding to his lackey, a ripple in the mana was felt. 

… They were going to leave.

Just like that... They were going to leave.

...

Gauche breathed heavily.

The old hag was bleeding out. That cult leader could totally just go ahead and kill everyone with all that mana he has, but he… He chose to not to. Wounds from the light swords aching, Gauche furrowed his eyebrows. 

… None of his vital points were hit. This was...

Glancing at Asta, he noticed how the kid’s limbs were trembling in the slightest. They were tense and shaky, his muscles overused. Asta didn't want to let them go, Gauche could tell.

Anti-Magic flickered, and gold colored eyes looked back. Gazing through long lashes, Licht stood there silently, almost as if waiting to see what the kid would do next.

But that was his first mistake.

Mana rippled, and a Fallen Angel Gate opened.

Yami’s Dark Cloaked Lightless Slash shot straight towards the enemy.

* * *

Attack mages that could also use Recovery Magic were particularly rare. Yami hadn’t seen many of them, but he did hear that those beloved by mana could use all sorts of magic types. For that guy to have a Four Leaf...

This was troublesome.

“You come back immediately, ‘kay?” Finral nodded hesitantly. Quickly supporting the elderly nun, he guided the village’s children away from the battle. Waking up in the middle of the night to Noelle's message gave him a heart attack. To think the Eye of the Midnight Sun attacked...!

“Gauche, can you stand?” 

Muscles tensing, Gauche nodded. Getting up, he tried to ignore the burning sensation of his wounds. Asta was still standing where he was at, Anti-Magic flaring in floods. With his Anti-Magic like that, he wouldn’t be able to go through Finral’s Spatial Magic…

“Anti,” Finral tried softly. “It’s alright now. We need to go…

“Anti?”

Asta closed his eyes slowly. Inhaling once, he exhaled through his nose. Dull green opened, and there was a hint of red within the right eye’s iris. Finral froze.

... Even though it was only the slightest breather, Finral was glad that the enemies did not seem to be making any move to attack. The head of the terrorists was healing the gash wound he got from Yami that ran through his left, so he wasn’t exactly in a good condition as well.

His Recovery Magic was intimidating. It only showed signs of power... Together with that bottomless amount of mana and Light Magic. The Spatial Magic user was already breaking out in cold sweat. 

They would have to leave fairly soon if they wanted to avoid any more unnecessary fighting. It didn’t seem that Yami was going to back down, though. Finral had to be careful. 

“They’re not targeting the kid… But I think you already know that,” Gauche said as he limped past Finral. “Doesn’t seem like they want to harm him in any way, too. His attacks were missing on purpose.

“Anti wouldn’t get in Captain’s way… I wouldn’t think so, at least.”

The nun’s wounds were worsening. Finral swallowed nervously.

_Alright, then._

“I’ll come back soon! Please wait until then, Mister Yami, Anti!”

“You better do!” Yelled back Yami, and the Fallen Angel Gate closed.

Turning his attention back to the scrawny beanpole, the Captain of the Black Bulls narrowed his eyes. Light Magic was rare, he didn't know anyone with that attribute, but something about this guy...

…

Well, that made things a slightly bit more complicated. But if this gut instinct was correct...

That might also make sense, too.

“Okay, kid,” shifting his stance, Yami made a small smirk. “You keep up, alright?”

Asta remained silent, but based on his ki, Yami could tell he was out for blood. He was tenser than usual...

One step at a time, the Lord of Destruction supposed. 

_Let's surpass our limits._


	19. Caring

It took about a week’s time for William to finally tell Patry about the child. 

The news didn’t come out as a surprise. The elf already knew the other was hiding something, but he never expected William to actually tell him. Not like how he did, at least. 

A few years ago, a Golden Dawn squad was stationed near Diamond. Patry had taken the chance to quickly go find Fana, who he tracked and found a young girl in a near-death state, splayed on the ground and discarded. The shallowness of her breath disheartened him, and with the raise of his hand, the reincarnated elf called upon Forbidden Magic.

The Third Eye opened. Patry was fortunate that Rhya was with him at the time, because right after he cast the spell, Patry blacked out completely. Too much mana was used... 

The incident only reminded him of the fact that he needed _even more,_ and Rhya had to drag both Fana and Patry along by himself back to Clover’s territory. When William came back in control, he quickly returned to where his squad was at, and apparently… The Golden Dawn members left behind yet found anything suspicious regarding their captain’s brief absence. 

… They were loyal to a fault. Not that it mattered, though...

While Rhya helped Fana at a nearby Eye of the Midnight Sun base, William continued his scouting mission with his Golden Dawn squad. 

About a few days later, still sluggish with lethargy (he really used too much mana, didn’t he), Patry woke up to William having a discussion with a familiar face. The Twenty Eighth Wizard king, Julius Novachrono.

William’s heart was a mix of his usual tranquility and… Patry wasn’t sure. While the emotion was familiar, he couldn’t quite place his finger on it. Perhaps he was too tired, because otherwise, Patry would’ve been able to recognize whatever it was immediately.

They shared this body for so long, after all.

 _… What’s this all about?_ He decided to ask after William left the office. 

“It’s nothing,” answered William, and Patry was very sure it was _not_ nothing...

… Which led to the present day, and the migraine growing in Patry’s head became more obvious than ever. 

“Looks like Sally got caught in trouble again,” Rhya commented offhandedly. Patry kept his expression trained with a look of _calm_.

The nonexistent faith he had in humanity dwindled even more.

 _To make up for getting your arm injured,_ Patry said in their heart, and William stopped his ceaseless tugging.

“Valtos,” turning towards his subordinate, _Licht_ made a pleasant and elegant smile. “Would you so kindly take me to where Sally should be? She may be facing some troubles right now… I fear that the Magic Knights are too much for her. Let us get to our comrade’s aide, yes?”

“Want me to go with?” Rhya asked with a raised hand.

Meeting the other’s eyes, he shook his head. “No… You don’t have to. I will go myself.”

The boy’s alias was “Anti,” and for unknown reasons, he had Licht’s grimoire. A week after William said that “it was nothing,” he decided to spill the beans. Perhaps out of guilt from hiding it in the first place.

While Patry knew that William was keeping a secret, he did not expect to hear about Licht’s grimoire and sword, and at that thought... There was no wonder why William couldn't bear to hide it from him.

 _A Five Leaf_ , the other had clarified _._

A Five Leaf grimoire. The Demon Slayer. A manaless boy with Anti-Magic. The Diamond Kingdom. 

A child with lifeless eyes.

Because they were in the same body, it was impossible to visually see the other’s expression unless a mirror was placed in front of them. Even so, a mirror wasn’t needed in the first place... Patry could feel the frown on their lips.

At the time, William was in his early twenties. 

_I want to help him,_ William admitted. 

_… Even though I know it is pointless._

...

Patry wanted to sigh.

_And you’re asking for my permission… Because humans will die. The boy included._

_Do what you want, William._

_I won’t stop you, just as you won’t stop me._

* * *

Coughing out blood, Patry breathed raspily before forming a smile. Healing Light Particles weren’t practical to heal fatal injuries, but at least it could stop the bleeding to some degree. 

Took time, after all.

 _Dark Magic_ … _I see_. 

As much as he wanted to try fighting against a Dark Magic user, the timing itself wasn’t quite right. Pity, it was... The Anti-Magic child was also still present. Their Spatial Magic user wasn’t able to take the boy with him, from what it seemed. Anti-Magic was a hassle.

Taking a small breath, cool air entered his lungs. 

“Yami Sukehiro… A user of Dark Magic. How fascinating,” shifting a bit, the gash on his left shoulder seemed to be mending, “but time is running short, don’t you think?”

“Hah?” The Lord of Destruction took a breath from his cigarette. “‘Time is running short,’ what are you talking about?”

Narrowed eyes glinted dangerously.

“Don’t think you get to go run off, now.”

Valtos jolted in surprise. “Master Licht—!”

Before the lightless slashes reached him, Patry had his grimoire flip to another page before avoiding the attacks completely. Another barrage charged forth. Materializing Light Swords of Conviction, he blocked them and neutralized the attack. 

_Dark Magic… It’s drawing my magic in. While slow, that sword of his… The speed was made up through the use of reinforcement instead._

Blood seeped through the incompletely healed wound. Smiling wryly, Patry formed a blade in a hand and slashed through another attack. The Captain of the Black Bulls was shortening the distance between them in steady beats.

_To give me no room to breathe._

The Anti-Magic child was not making any move at his spot far back. He was standing where he was from the start, lifeless eyes downcast, but this cold chill was building up rather ominously. Anti-Magic was indeed a hassle… While he had a vague idea of the boy’s capabilities, Patry never faced this kind of opponent before.

And as he had no intentions of doing anything to “Anti,” the boy joining in would be a one-sided battle that Patry was completely uninterested in.

_At least it seemed that he already reached his physical limits. Because otherwise—_

Pale hair entered the elf’s vision and the familiar sight of the Demon Slayer sliced the air beside him. Patry stared. Turning back, there was Yami, and his dark-cloaked blade was hovering above his head. 

… Such teamwork. 

“Light Creation Magic,” he murmured. “Light Whip of Judgment.” 

The migraine was one thing, but once he let go, the pain itself would disappear. Patry didn’t need to be concerned about the boy’s safety, the foreigner Captain already pulled him away by the hood before his Light Magic could do harm. 

“Valtos…” They should get out of here. The mana collection was a failure, but it did not serve as a problem. There were always other means of gathering magic.

Before the Spatial Magic user could respond, a stream of Anti-Magic forcefully jostled Valtos to the side. The impact caused an explosion, and gold colored eyes widened.

The chilly sensation continued to grow. Valtos was completely knocked out. 

...

“Good one, kid!” Yami laughed as Anti-Magic retracted. The boy, standing beside his captain, was wielding Licht’s sword limply in a hand. 

Licht’s…

...

Something was burning.

The sky was dark. There was screaming. Yelling. Crying. Shards of light. Falling. Crying. Burning. Hurting. Screaming. _Despairing. Crying. Yelling._

_Patry! Latry! Where are you two?!_

_Mom? Mom!_

_Everyone! This way, quick!_

_Don’t stop running!_

_I can’t use any magic! This is…!_

_Isn’t that the magic item?! That prince’s magic item?!_

_Lira? Wait, don’t just… Lie there…_

_Watch out!_

_It’s the humans! They’re attacking!_

_Why is this happening?! What is going on?!_

_No, stop it!_

_There’s a barrier, we can’t get out!_

_Lufulu, no! Not him—please, open your eyes! Get up!_

_Eclat!_

Everyone died that day.

The humans killed everyone.

“... How dare,” strange darkness overwhelmed all reason, “you harm Valtos.”

* * *

People were selfish. 

When it came down to it, everybody valued themselves over other people. Gauche was the same. You could only look out for yourself, and as Marie’s older brother, Gauche had to look out for her as well. Why help others when you have no more room to do so? Why help others when nothing would be given back in return?

Why help others, when you already knew it was going to be futile?

About three years ago, Marie took it to herself to show Anti around town. That was how the Scarlet kids got to know him… And life went on like that. 

“I’m… Really sorry,” Neige sobbed. “It’s… It won’t make up for anything my brother and I have done, but… Because of my own… Weakness, I wasn’t able to grow independent… And instead relied on my brother… All this time...

“I… I want to make up for it. Everything.”

When people helped people, things moved. It wasn’t that their former crimes were forgivable, or that they did something that made up for whatever they did or didn’t do in the past…

When people helped people, nothing changed, yet at the same time, everything moved.

It was as Marie said once: everyone’s lives were connected.

People _needed_ people.

_That’s why I’m so happy when you made a new friend, Gauche!_

“Idiot… I won’t die that easily,” Sister Theresa laughed softly as the recovery mages helped with her wounds. Gauche seriously wanted to punch something right now.

“Then stop saying such misleading things, you old hag…!”

Finral was impatiently pacing around the room. It took time for mana recovery, and he didn’t want to recklessly use his magic if they didn’t have a backup plan. During a time as urgent as right now... He really didn’t want anything to go wrong. 

… The mindset itself was poisoning. _Don’t be rash._

At least this should already be reported to the main headquarters. It would do well if they could get reinforcements… _Quickly_ , too.

At the same time, Finral was worried. Well, he was already worried, _very_ , but… 

Asta.

It was stomach churning, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to help at all when his Anti-Magic was like that. Anti-Magic would just cancel out his Spatial Magic, after all, and Asta… Finral never liked the idea of leaving him behind. He was capable, he knew, yet...

He wanted to sigh. First they found out about his origins, and then the whole thing with the Diamond Kingdom… 

_Anti-Magic…?_ Fanzell was very shocked upon hearing about it. _I don’t… That’s..._

Mariella crossed her arms. 

_If the mana-absorbing sword has anything to do with this ‘Anti-Magic,’ then I suppose it is something worth checking on about._ _We will bring the sword over, and we could investigate more regarding that boy’s grimoire._

_This is our next address. If you need any help, you can head there._

Mariella’s professionalism was impressive. Fanzell and Domina were definitely fortunate to have such a student accompanying them. 

Gripping his hands together, Finral took a shaky breath. 

_My mana… I think it’s enough for another trip._

But what could he even—?

“Finral,” the Spatial Magic user jumped at Gauche’s voice. Turning around, he was met with a firm look in the other’s eye. 

The children standing behind him, Marie, and the rogue mage who came along, all had a firm look in their eyes as well.

“Get me back to the cave, please.”

“... Right.”

Even from this distance, they could still subtly feel intense pulses of magic. The fight hadn’t ended, and a dangerous feeling was growing. If the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun was still there… 

Well.

Mirrors reflected light.

* * *

The tension from earlier was immediately released. Surreal, it was, but they managed plenty of risky situations before. Watching the Eye of the Midnight Sun’s leader fall from the air, Yami laughed and roughly, with one hand, ruffled up the Mirror Mage’s hair.

“Gauche! Way to take all the glory, you jerk!”

“... If it weren’t for you picking me up that day, I wouldn’t be here. It’s thanks to you, Captain.”

“Oh? Haha, then all the credits go to me!”

That attack from earlier, fully reflected, was impossible to dodge. Not to mention the fact that the roundbrows said so himself, that was his strongest spell! There was no getting up after being hit by that.

Asta’s Anti-Magic seemed to calm down, but his right iris was still a bit red. They would look into that later, but first of all… Yami glanced at the fallen enemy.

“Guess you had another natural enemy, besides me. Well, shake it off. It’s your defeat.”

Licht’s breath was heavy. After a few beats, eyes of gold slowly glanced to where Gauche stood.

Smiling smally, his voice came out raspy.

“... Couldn’t… Risk…”

Gauche blinked slowly.

“Huh?”

Yami furrowed his eyebrows, “You know him or something?”

“A guy like him? Of course not…”

“... Well, I don’t get it at all, but never mind that. We’re taking you back to the Magic Knights Headquarters, and you’re going to tell us all about your organization,” grimoire flipping open, Yami scanned for a binding spell. 

… The man’s uncanny resemblance to Vangeance unnerved him. From the lines of their faces to their very ki… He wore earrings, maybe Yami could check if the other Captain pierced his ears. 

_And that is if I could catch him first_. _Hard to get appointments, after all._

Flipping to the next page of his grimoire, Yami paused.

_This feeling…_

“Ah… Licht, you’ve pushed yourself too hard again. Always shouldering everything on yourself… But wow, things got pretty real here. So much work to do...” A yawn.

“But then again, even I… Have to save my buds, no?”

Spatial… Magic.

Suddenly, a man with black hair and the familiar Eye of the Midnight Sun robes was right in front of Yami. 

Fast.

“Wow! That’s a weird pattern,” a hand was placed on the cover of Yami’s grimoire, “not like it matters, though.”

Yami gritted his teeth. 

_Dark Magic: Dark Cloaked Lightless Slash._

The stranger immediately jumped back to avoid the brunt of the attack. Sliced at his shoulder, he hissed at the pain before lazily putting a hand over the wound.

“What a pain… But a scratch like this I can heal, I guess.”

Light particles gathered where his wound was. It was the same spell the Licht guy used, and a chill ran down their backs.

“You came…” Licht murmured, and the Black Bulls looked up. There were three newcomers… All high-level mages. Loved by mana. 

Enemy reinforcements.

“I’m sorry… My power alone wasn’t enough.”

Like a cradle, flames enveloped the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. The pink haired woman's grimoire was open.

 _Recovery Magic,_ Yami realized. 

“If you’re here, then I won’t have to worry.”

… The three leaves of the clover represented three things: faith, hope, and love. All were pleasant words that didn’t suit the kingdom that used it as its symbol. 

“The strongest three of the Eye of the Midnight Sun… In combat, they surpass me. The Third Eye.”

Finral shivered.

Licht smiled.

“Rhya the Disloyal.”

_Copy Magic: Dark Cloaked Lightless Slash._

Yami’s eyes widened as he quickly made a counterattack. 

“Vetto the Despair.”

Intense magic flared as a claw was brought down from the air. Yami’s sword snapped, and he pushed Gauche and Finral away before they could get caught in the crossfire. 

_He’s reading my ki._

Flinching, the Dark Magic user turned around to see a massive blast of fire shooting straight at him.

_Dark Magic: Black Cocoon._

“Fana the Hateful.”

Finral paused at the name. Something about it sounded familiar, but his attention was averted to the magic that surrounded the woman. There was a strange being on her shoulder, a being made out of mana...

Spirit Magic. The Fire Spirit... Salamander. Finral heard about it before.

One of the four great attributes. 

_No way… Seriously?!_

“Y-Yami…” He could barely keep track of everything. Keeping Asta close to himself, fear gradually made itself obvious within the young Roulacase. 

Gauche was frustrated as well. Finral could tell from his ki. Come to think about it… Gauche wasn’t even completely healed back when they were at the village, and that spell he used earlier... The mana he expended must be immeasurable!

_And I don’t have enough mana myself, so I can’t use my Spatial Magic…!_

They were holding Yami back. Their captain didn’t have the mobility and space to go all out. 

… The Eye of the Midnight Sun. Where did such warped and powerful people come from? How did they come to be? Their magic was intimidating, menacing to the core. Inky darkness that was strange. Ominous. Sinister.

Yami, whose eyes were wide, was wearing an equally wide smile. It must be the adrenaline. It had to be.

Sinister magic swelled, and—

Asta stepped forward. Finral and Gauche stared after him. 

“An...ti?”

The boy’s ki was screaming _hurt._ Finral wanted to pull him back, but he couldn’t move. He was frozen in place, and the boy was already stepping past Yami—

"Stop!" Licht suddenly yelled, and the Third Eyes stopped. All actions were paused, and Yami slowly glanced up to the still-healing enemy. 

The leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun looked very tired. Breathless. His unexpected shout caught them all off guard, and Yami didn’t know that such a flimsy looking guy could actually yell like that. 

“... There is no point staying here any longer,” Licht continued, and after a wince, a weak smile formed on his lips. He looked like he was ready to drop dead any moment. 

“Let us just return… Back home...”

Silence dragging on, the Third Eyes’ attention was completely locked on their leader. Rhya sighed and rubbed the back of his head. 

“If Licht says so,” glancing back to the Black Bulls, a wry smile made itself visible on his face. “See ya, I guess.”

They used Spatial Magic to leave the site. The four left behind were in no position to stop them, but it wasn’t exactly a complete loss. Information gathering was important in the long run, and without any doubt…

Letting out a breath, Yami leaned back and relaxed. Finral was already on his knees. 

… He was going to have a long talk with Vangeance, later. 

Nozel, Charlotte, and Jack barged into the battlefield to only find the said battle over. Yami laughed at them, and in return, they all collectively glared at him.

Asta, who stood there quietly, blinked slowly. Glancing down to his empty left hand, he blinked again.

… That was right, the crystal was now hanging loosely around his neck. Asta forgot. Stepping to Finral’s side, he went ahead and sat down beside him. The red in his eye slowly receded. 

He thought he dropped it somewhere. Good thing he didn’t.

* * *

“I’ve noticed recently,” plopping the unconscious Valtos down, Rhya looked over his shoulder with visible concern, “injuries aside, is your head alright? It's happening more often.”

Fana’s Flame Recovery Magic should be able to ease it, though. Or heal whatever it was. Weird. Taking a seat by Patry's side, Fana placed a hand gently over his forehead. Teal eyes darkened.

“People who hurt Licht… I hate them…”

Patry smiled Licht’s smile, and with tired eyes, he gazed up to the stone ceiling. True to Rhya’s words, his head was indeed hurting... A lot. But no matter...

“I just need to rest a bit. I’ll be depending on you... Rhya.”

“... Of course. I got your back, so rest up, ‘kay?”

Nodding, Patry closed his eyes. 

_Thank you,_ he felt William say.

Caring was hard. 

But at the very least... For William.

Because they were able to understand each other. William understood his pain, accepted them, and even though he was human... He was kind. So for William, maybe he could—

Sharp pain pierced the side of his head. Stifling back a wince, Patry tried to sleep.

Memories of _that day_ flooded instead.


	20. Tomorrow and Today

Green eyes opened to the familiar ceiling of his room. Staring ahead before blinking twice, Asta sat up and remained seated. The weight of the crystal against his chest reassured him of its presence, and after a small pause, the boy went ahead and stepped off the bed.

The ground was cool under bare feet. Wiggling his toes, Nero brought over his headband and dragged it to his lap. It chirped, and Asta stared at the cloth.

Gold threads were shining because of morning light. Taking the headband and tugging it on, cloth was pressed against the tiny horns that grew on the crown of his head. 

Because of the previous battle, his entire body was sore. Gazing to the side, Asta spotted the dark covered grimoire. 

...

Two knocks later, Finral opened the door with a bright smile.

“Hey, An—ah, sorry again. Asta. Good morning!”

Asta blinked at the other. Finral helped him with his clothes.

* * *

Marx nearly fell over when he heard of what happened at Nean. 

First of all… 

_Huh?_

And then secondly... 

_What?!_

New information was immediately delivered, and Marx could not believe his ears. To think they would be able to find out about the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun, not to mention the upper echelon of the very organization… It was simply astounding. Julius, on the other hand, had this look of pride on his face, which was really undeserving considering he had just ran off to look for more “fascinating magic” again.

Marx sometimes couldn’t take the Wizard King seriously. Didn’t they have a talk about this?!

_But these are all important information. We have a name and face for the leader of that organization, along with their magic and abilities… Should we investigate more of that old laboratory, we could potentially find clues to the terrorists’ hideout._

_The Black Bulls did well rescuing the civilian children._

“Well, our next concern now is about _those two_ … Marx, you are still unable to retrieve any information from them, yes?” 

Shoving the growing pride for the Black Bulls brigade aside (he would smile about it later, now was not the time), Marx nodded.

The two rogue mages they caught during the attack on the Royal Capital, one by the Wizard King himself and the other by the combined efforts of Charmy Pappiston of the Black Bulls and the Golden Dawn’s Yuno. They were currently restrained in the underground dungeon that only a few know of, for both were crucial sources of intel.

Unfortunately but not exactly unexpected, Marx was unable to extract information due to a protective magic spell that was placed on both of their minds. The Eye of the Midnight Sun was very careful...

… But of course, a solution was already in mind. 

Which led Marx to wonder. If the Eye of the Midnight Sun knew about Asta as one of the Black Bulls, Noelle Silva, reported… Would the boy’s ability to nullify magic be taken into account?

All nine Captains were already summoned to the headquarters. Asta should be with Yami right now, so Marx would go and greet them. He glanced at the still-smiling Wizard King.

_… And then there is the problem about the could-be traitor… Or traitors, perhaps. Someone potentially of Captain or Vice Captain rank._

Marx took a small breath. 

_Alright._

The first time Marx Francois met Asta, who didn’t have a name to call yet, he was surprised. Julius had suddenly dragged him along, and while the younger _knew_ about the skirmish at Diamond’s border, the sight he was met with was something he did not expect to see.

Alas, he was still a Magic Knight, so Marx immediately recollected himself and went with the procedures. He tried using his magic on the child, but his efforts were mostly in vain. Blocked.

Or rather… Nullified. 

The boy’s form was strange and eerie. With tiny horns on his head, Weg, and the black, thread-like lines crawling on his skin, the way how the child’s right eye glowed red sent shivers down the Memory Magic user’s spine. It was almost… Demonic. 

Hours later, the ominous energy finally receded. Everything that defined the boy _dangerous,_ except for the horns on his head, vanished, and all Marx could see was just a child deprived of so many things. _Too_ many things. 

He tried using his Memory Magic again. 

“Captain Yami, Asta,” Marx greeted with a smile. “Good day, and thank you two for coming.”

Yami waved off the greeting as he pulled out another cigarette. 

“Let’s just hop onto business, yeah?” 

The Captains were gathered in a meeting room. Not everyone was present yet, as it was still early in the day. Nozel was the next to arrive.

Asta followed Marx steadily down the stairs to the underground dungeon. The short journey was quiet, but it was not abnormal nor uncomfortable. Marx was used to the silence. Throughout these years, Finral Roulacase would usually be around for assistance (for he was able to understand Asta through the means of ki), but during instances where he was unavailable, Marx could use his magic to communicate with the younger. 

… Could, because even _if_ it was more convenient, Marx wanted to avoid using any spell on Asta as much as possible. Marx’s moral values were preventing him from doing what was for the best, but in the end… 

The Memory Magic user wanted to sigh. Maybe he should make an appointment with a psychiatrist. Or a therapist. He didn’t know. He could just talk to Owen, perhaps, but the old doctor had his own fair share of worries, too. 

Looking over his shoulder, Asta was following closely behind. His eyes were downcast as usual, and Marx recalled the report that was sent in regarding the incident at Nean. His right eye turned a little bit red… It was normal, now, but the change was something not to be ignored. 

_I wonder what made this time different,_ Marx thought. _Did he use too much Anti-Magic? He seems fine right now, though…_

Marx blinked. “Ah, we’re here.”

Opening the door, the two were met with an enthusiastic Wizard King who was very happy to see Asta again. The two captives were restrained and readied for questioning, and upon spotting the young boy ahead, their former expressions quickly changed into ones of panic.

Marx was good at reading people. 

_Seems like they only did_ enough _, but not to the point was it_ sure-fire _. It is either that they are firmly confident that their plans could still go on their way, leaked or not leaked, or that they do not have the resources to fully prevent such a thing from happening._

“... Asta,” Julius began softly. “There is a protective spell on their minds… Could you remove it for us?”

One blink after a solid second usually meant acknowledgment. There were still means of simple communication without the use of ki or Memory Magic. Five Leaf grimoire flipping open, the rusty sword emerged from the pages and was brought to one hand. Asta let the gravity take it down to the ground, and dragging the blade along, he walked towards the two prisoners in steady steps. 

The moment the protective spell was negated, Marx immediately went to work.

_Mémoire Absolue._

* * *

“Hey now, don’t pick on Goldy,” Yami checked the sharpness of his newly commissioned katana. “It’s not like you use Light Magic, do you?”

“... That’s right,” Vangeance agreed, and Rill Boismortier, Captain of the Azure Deers, swallowed at the cold tension’s return. Just moments ago everyone seemed to have settled down, but when Captain Vangeance, who was late, finally arrived, all the Captains started picking on each other again!

This meant that as the youngest Captain, Rill had to do something to lighten the mood, right? Right?!

Before Yami got the chance to pummel Rill’s face in for making an imitation of him, Marx’s Communication Magic came into life.

Preparations were ready. 

The Eye of the Midnight Sun, a terrorist organisation composed of about fifty or so mages that advocates opposition against Clover. Licht, a mage with a Four Leaf, formed the organization six years ago, and its greatest military force consisted of himself and his executives, the Third Eye. The group had several hideouts throughout the Forsaken Realm, and all of its members conduct acts of terrorism out of extreme hatred for the kingdom. 

Their ultimate goal: the establishment of an independent nation.

Those were the information Marx extracted from the criminals. 

“What did you need, Wizard King?” All of the Captains were lined up before their leader. Julius smiled simply, and Yami noticed his brat standing beside the mushroom head. 

“Those two… They’re from the Eye of the Midnight Sun,” Charlotte Roselei, Captain of the Blue Roses, noted. “Did you learn something from them, Master Julius?”

The Wizard King nodding, his smile remained.

 _… His smile is dry_ , Yami noticed.

“Yes… Several things, thanks to Marx and Asta. I suppose this is the biggest one… So I’m going to ask it again. 

“Someone here cooperated with the Eye of the Midnight Sun, what is the name of the Captain who betrayed us?”

...

A pity, truly. All of them had fought together in the same battlefield as comrades, and yet… As the Wizard King and a friend, Julius thought he understood them well.

Life wasn’t kind. An unparalleled blunder indeed.

Gueldre Poizot froze up when the other Captains turned their gazes at him. The intensity of their mana was clashing, and disappointment settled in many. 

At the same time, the news wasn’t exactly unexpected. There were already shady rumors following Gueldre Poizot, Captain of the Purple Orcas, and as much as some wanted to assume the rumors to be false… In the end, they were all very true.

Before the traitor-Captain tried to escape, his attempts all ended up in vain. An Anti-Magic sword whacked him across the room before he got the chance to run, after all.

… And before the other Captains got to have their chance to pummel their traitor-comrade in, Rill quickly restrained Gueldre with his Picture Magic.

* * *

“Geez… That’s a long list, alright,” Yami drew a breath from his cigarette. 

“Selling national treasure-class magic items on the black market, smuggling dangerous potions from other nations, and abusing his own brigade members. Making deals with the terrorists aside... Wow.”

_Might as well become a Black Bull, Mister._

“Direct cooperation with the Eye of the Midnight Sun,” Charlotte murmured under her breath. “The Barrier Mages were kidnapped… Is that how they infiltrated the Royal Capital?”

Nozel’s eyes were narrow and stern. “To be dazzled by rare magic items and made a deal with the terrorists… The fool.”

And because of that, Fuegoleon… The kidnapped Barrier Mages were undoubtedly already killed. That was the kind of organization they were dealing with, not to mention the further aggression from Spade and Diamond…

“He was a knight, charged with protecting the citizens, yet he sold them out instead,” turning around, the Wizard King continued firmly. “In order to keep the citizens from growing uneasy, we won’t make this matter public. However, to ensure this never happens again, check all your brigade members to make sure no one has ties to the enemy!”

“Yes sir!”

And now…

“Yami,” Yami stopped before walking away. Looking over his shoulder, dark colored eyes met the other’s purple. The other Captains long left for their respective bases.

“Could you stay behind for a little bit?” Julius asked. 

Gueldre was one thing, but there was still the possibility of more traitors among the Magic Knights. For that reason, Julius purposely left out one last important piece of information. This was going to be a mission assigned to one Magic Brigade only, for the Black Bulls was least restricted by family or social status.

The brigade led by Yami… Among all, he knew he could put his trust in them the most.

“Will you do it?” Julius asked.

“... You’re the Wizard King," Yami started. "If that’s what you think, then just give the order.”

Hand raised to the chest, the three-leaf salute was made.

“I’m just going to use my power to prove it. Prove that you’ve made no mistakes.”

… Today and tomorrow, he hoped things would continue to grow this way.

Humans and magic had so much potential, after all. Julius was really proud of them.

"Please do, Yami...!"

* * *

Anti-Magic was a double-edged sword. It could prevent enemies from hurting the boy through the use of mind-controlling spells and the like, but if Anti-Magic ran rampant… Like the time he was first brought here by the Golden Dawn...

Recovery Magic would be rendered useless. No one would be able to help the boy.

“Asta, I will be looking through your memories again,” Marx tried with a smile. “It will be quick… Um, do you want to start?”

Sitting across from Marx, Asta blinked slowly. Green eyes closed when his gaze drifted to the ground, and Marx opened his grimoire. 

A reluctant second later, Marx activated Mémoire Absolue. 

Since Asta didn’t talk a lot, there was no use questioning for unanswerable answers. Marx looked through most of his memories himself, and even though the boy had let him do so consciously, the act of doing this irked Marx the wrong way. 

There were still many empty gaps in his memory. Most were fuzzy, and the clearer ones were of present time. Finral reported of the encounter with Diamond deserters, and Asta’s association with the Diamond Kingdom became more solid. Marx could see the encounter from the boy’s eyes, and the reunion between a teacher and student made him form a sad smile. 

The Anti-Magic sword… And potentially, swords. Amazing it was, they were able to find out more about the mysterious Five Leaf grimoire. Julius said for now, the deserters could be left alone. The Black Bulls would be in charge of keeping tabs on them—they were an entire brigade of lie detectors, after all.

Asta knew that man, Fanzell Kruger. Ex-military commander of Diamond. Marx saw the memories relating to that man… Hints and pieces.

…

After a little, Marx frowned.

Looked like he really didn’t remember anything about that village… Or Yuno. 

_Anti-Magic originates from the grimoire, but… I wonder. Owen is able to heal him with his magic, but my Memory Magic is unstable while using my spells. Maybe it is something that goes on and off… I wasn’t able to catch his name this entire time._

_Or it could be due to Weg… Though I’m not very knowledgeable in that area. We’re still figuring out that part._

Because of the Anti-Magic, all magic that previously tampered with the boy’s mind was removed. Marx knew what happened to him during his captivity before Diamond… Even though the magic was gone, the psychological effects probably lingered. 

Looking over everything one more time, the Memory Magic user nodded to himself before closing his grimoire. Dull green blinked open.

“We’re done. I’ll take you to Captain Yami, alright?” Asta stood up and followed him down the hall. 

… In truth, Marx kind of had an idea on why he wasn’t able to catch Asta’s name. When the child was younger, a spell was placed in his mind that formed an illusion of a “trustworthy companion.”

It was a cruel way of torture. People were messed up that way… But no matter how many conclusions he could draw from that, Marx would never know what the real truth was. 

The boy was adamant on not letting anyone know his name. He might have subconsciously controlled the Anti-Magic to prevent Marx from finding out, if that was even possible... While Memory Magic was absolute, Anti-Magic was still uncharted territory. It was the same thing with Forbidden Magic. Memories… They were tricky.

But then again… There was still the “first word” incident. “Pasta” turned out to be “Asta,” and for Asta to actually _attempt_ telling them...

Julius was right. It was funny how skeptical Marx was at first, but look, no one could blame him for that! Who would have expected that rowdy group of ruffians to properly take care of a kid?! Honestly...

But… Yes. 

In the end, the Black Bulls were truly most suited to look after Asta. Marx was happy for him.

* * *

“We’re going to the beach?!” Magna squawked as Luck tried to steal the other’s sunglasses. The other’s attempts were successful if it weren’t for Vanessa’s playful intervention, where she, with her threads, snatched away the sunglasses instead. 

Magna was not very happy about it.

“Not the beach, but we gotta head to Raquey, first,” Yami clarified. “We have a special mission from the Wizard King. Get ready, got it?”

“Yes, sir!”

Walking by himself through the halls, the boy was shortly accompanied by his constant bird companion, Nero. Nero took a seat on the top of his head, and after a few more turns, dull green blinked at the door in front of him. 

He pushed it open. A long mop of hair raising up in surprise, Henry smiled upon seeing the kid.

“Ah......! Good...... After......noon.... A....sta....!”'

Staring ahead, Asta dragged his feet forward and sat on the chair beside the other’s bed. Asta blinked slowly. Henry’s own tiny bird companions emerged from pale blue hair. 

They enjoyed the quiet together. After a little, Asta made his way back to the lounge, where Magna was screaming at both Luck and Vanessa. His poor sunglasses were broken on the floor.

✨🍀❣️ Petit Clover: The Conversation That Never Happened! ❣️🍀✨

“Hey, so I’ve been wondering,” Yami began. “You pierced your ears?”

Rhya blinked slowly. Disguised as Patry’s good friend, his Copy Magic was impeccable. Even with whatever special ability that foreigner Captain had (was it called ki? He wasn’t sure), his transformation shouldn’t be able to be seen through that easily. 

So came the next question…

Ear piercings? Why was he asking about that? Rhya nonchalantly touched one of his earlobes. The Black Bulls Captain sure asked some strange questions time to time. 

“... Yes,” he decided to say with William’s famous smile, “why do you ask?”

“Eh,” Yami shrugged. “Just curious. How come you got them pierced?”

Rhya had actually no idea. But he was a good liar, so maybe if he was vague enough, the lie detector in front of him wouldn't notice.

“... It might be a dare. We went out drinking, I believe.”

The Dark Magic user blinked. “Oh? You take dares? And by _we_... Was I there?”

“I’m not sure, actually. Perhaps I had a bit too much to drink… The earrings were impractical, though. Not exactly friendly towards my mask.”

“Huh… So the dangly kind,” a small pause later, Yami laughed. “You’d look even more gaudy with them.”

Rhya chuckled. “Is that so...”

... The dangly kind, he said. _Oh._ The Copy Magic user had a feeling he got why Yami was asking this now. Geez… Even the small details wouldn’t be let go of, huh!

Turning to make his leave, instincts told Rhya that Yami seemed to have one more question in mind. Even with a traitor caught, the Lord of Destruction wasn’t going to let his guard down anytime soon. How sharp. 

But despite that fact, Rhya wasn’t going to let him ask his question any time soon. 

_Let the nice guy do it himself, after all._

“Good day to you, Yami. I have to be on my way, now. If it happened that you want to try piercing your ears… Well, I could ask one of my brigade members, Letoile Becquerel, to help you with that. She has Compass Magic. Perhaps it would do?"

Yami drew a smoky breath. 

“... Yeah. And no thanks.”


	21. Our Ocean - Part 1: An Ancient Prayer

First impressions were of utmost importance. They were decided within the first few seconds upon encounter and held significant influence on the relationship with the other thereafter. 

That was how her brother, Nozel, explained it to her.

Raquey wasn’t a special sight for a royal like Noelle. Her family often went to the resort with the Vermillions and other noble houses, so it really wasn’t anything special. As much as it was said to be relaxing, sometimes the environment gave her more stress instead. Noelle wouldn’t admit that, though, but then…

Seeing how much fun her comrades in the Black Bulls were having, she couldn’t help but want to smile.

“Hm… Perfect!” Vanessa gave her a thumbs up as the younger’s face flushed red. “The swimsuit’s perfect on you, Noelle! Good choice!”

“Y-yeah. Of course it’ll be perfect! I’m royalty, you know?!”

“Most gorgeous royalty in town!” Finral cheered playfully as he set up an umbrella for Asta. Even though everyone was out here wearing their respective swimming wear, Asta remained in his usual attire. Noelle was worried if he would get a heat stroke like that. 

Because of the concentration of natural mana here, Raquey was always in high temperatures. It made it a perfect resort for nobles and Magic Knights, and… Since most of the Black Bulls were outcasts, Noelle supposed they never really came to this beach before. 

Or saw the ocean.

_If that is the case, I suppose I’d have to show them around, r-right?! Because I’m royalty!_

“Head’s up!” Luck laughed as Magna ran screaming with his loincloth on fire. Gauche looked like he was ready to shoot some Mirror Magic at the fools for the destruction of his sand-Marie, and standing beside him, Vanessa only added more fuel to the fire by cheering for the two. Turned out there were two Vanessas, one of them being Grey, and with the team dashing across the beach, someone yelled “ba-hah!” on the crossfire of chaotic reign. 

“Man,” Finral sighed with a nostalgic smile. “They sure look like they’re having a lot of fun.”

_… No kidding._

“BEACH FOOD! HERE I COME, LA!!”

“What the hell are you idiots doing.”

Everyone quickly sat down in a line.

* * *

“Retrieve the remaining magic stones before the Eye of the Midnight Sun.” That was what the Black Bulls were assigned with, and...

Noelle stomped through the sand.

A week… A week, huh. In order to reach the bottom of the ocean, Noelle had to develop her Sea Dragon’s Lair to the point she could control their travel through water. The strong magic region… This was a top secret mission entrusted to their brigade only, so everyone was depending on Noelle to make this work! 

_Failure._

She shook her head. Finding a good spot among the rocky shore, the young girl took in a nervous breath before gazing up to the moon. It was a waxing gibbous…

One week. She had to do this.

Grimoire flipping open, Noelle extended her hands and called upon mana. Water began splashing about, and it slowly enveloped her in a rushed torrent. Magic control wasn’t her specialty. She didn’t have any talent in it, and her constant failures to control her magic made her family look down upon her even more. 

_You’re not suited to be a mage. You can’t even control your magic… There is no room on the battlefield for you._

_Your existence itself is unnecessary._

Hands tensing, Noelle pushed forward. 

She wouldn’t run. No room on the battlefield… No, there was no room for excuses. She brought this upon herself. This was her decision. 

_Come on… Just work…!_

Something pricked the back of her mind. Magic dispelling, Noelle turned around in surprise.

It was Asta. He was sitting on top of one of the surrounding rocks.

…

“A-Asta!” Noelle yelped. “You’re here…”

Blinking once, the pale haired boy gazed up and stared at her.

Noelle shuffled nervously. 

“W-well, I’ll be training, then…”

Water splashing, she could still feel his stare burning holes on the back of her head. There was nothing to be embarrassed about! Absolutely nothing. Seemed like Nero was also here. It was sitting on the top of Asta’s head as per usual.

Both of their stares on Noelle, the young Silva’s concentration was beginning to break. Sighing in resignation, she glanced at the puddles at her feet. The surface of the water was reflecting moonlight.

“... Hey. Do you think I can do it?”

The only answer that was returned was the crashing sounds of the ocean. Noelle smiled sadly.

“I’ll do my best…”

After a little, Noelle came to a pause. If she remembered clearly… According to that Yuno person, Asta originally came from Hage, the village out in the Forsaken Realm. The name always sounded familiar to her, but now she finally remembered. Hage was a topic that was always gossiped about among nobles at the parties. During those instances, Nozel told her to ignore it. Royals shouldn’t need to bother with useless chattering.

… But then again… The coincidence was still there. Asta was from Hage, and Hage… It had another name, right? Noelle couldn’t really remember.

Waves hit the shore again. The night was quiet.

She stared at her hands.

...

Someone was singing.

It was very distant but close enough for Noelle to hear the soft melody. Standing there frozen, curiosity came like candy. She was still young, after all. The mystery and wonder struck a strange chord. 

_Who…?_

A little bit nervous to leave Asta alone (even though he _was_ accompanied by Nero), Noelle decided to take his hand and bring him along. The royal had to admit—the song sounded really nice, but it wasn’t that she was curious about who was singing it! Absolutely not! She was just wondering who was also here on this beach, so—!

… First impressions were of utmost importance. The impression would be kept for a very long time, thus affecting choices and important decisions that would be made in the future dealings. For one that was a royal, first impressions were even more relevant. It was as Nozel taught her, and Noelle was at awe.

There were bubbles floating like lights. Lavender pink eyes wide, up ahead was the waxing gibbous. The waxing gibbous, and… A girl. She was singing a very gentle song.

It was almost like a lullaby… Or a prayer. 

_Is she from Raquey?_ Noelle wondered. _Her voice is really pretty._

The entire atmosphere around them was so magical and serene… A scene that could definitely not be replicated. Noelle noticed the girl turning around, she must had become aware of them—

“Eeeeeee?!” An unholy squeal sounded from the girl’s lips. “Did you hear that? Did you? Gee, how embarrassing!!” 

… _Well, looks like first impressions really aren't everything._

It was the start of an unexpected friendship.

* * *

“Well, never mind that! I’m Kahono, who are you two?”

The girl hopped down from the rocks to where Noelle and Asta stood. Her smile was dazzling.

“Ah…” Slightly drawing back in surprise, Noelle nearly fidgeted on her toes. Fidgeting was unbecoming of a royal, so she quickly had her back straighten. “I’m Noelle. This is Asta… And Nero.”

Kahono’s eyes sparkled. “Noelle, Asta… And Nero! Nice to meet you all!”

“... What were you doing out here?” Noelle decided to ask. The bubbles from earlier… Were they magic?

Kahono giggled. “You see… It’s special voice training! I’m training my vocals, I love singing here!”

“Special voice…?”

The other nodded quickly. “I have a dream, you see! To become an idol! A singing, dancing, magic-using idol!”

Kahono was very strange. She was strange, funny, bubbly, and… Noelle didn’t know. She was awfully friendly. When they realized that they were all around the same age, Kahono’s eyes sparkled even more. 

“That’s so cool! Oh hey, why don’t we all be friends? Let’s be friends!”

Noelle paused. 

Becoming friends with a girl her age… Mimosa didn’t count because they were cousins, but… 

A friend… Who was a girl… Her age… 

“W-well, if you insist!” 

“Yay!”

Waves crashed against the shore. Kahono always found something to talk about, be it idols, money, or seashells. She was fun and interesting, and Noelle couldn’t help but be excited talking to her, too. 

Blinking, maroon gaze turned towards Asta. Asta’s gaze was still downcast, and at that thought, Noelle became worried. What did Finral usually say to people during these kinds of situations? Magna and Luck weren’t very helpful, so… 

Kahono made a thoughtful hum.

“Asta… His body is very weak, huh!”

Noelle blinked in surprise. “Huh?”

“His muscles… Arms, legs, and everything. Hm… It must hurt a lot to move. There’s tons of strain on his body, like, a lot.” 

Clearing her throat, Kahono smiled brightly. “Alright!” 

_Song Recovery Magic: Healing Lullaby!_

Lavender pink eyes widened at the use of precise magic control. Soft light glowing around Asta, the boy’s lips parted as if surprised. 

The light… They were dancing like the firefly dandelion fluffs. The sight itself was awe-inspiring, and while Noelle couldn’t understand the lyrics to the song, something about it touched her heart.

Song ending, Kahono giggled.

“The pain will probably be more tolerable, now! I’m not skilled enough to make your body stronger, but I’m sure it won’t hurt as much when you walk around!”

Asta remained gaping with dull eyes. He must be surprised as well.

“I… Thank you,” Noelle thanked, also on the behalf of her partner. Still in the midst of shock, Noelle fumbled with the words she chose next. “I thought… We have a doctor, actually, who checks up on him all the time, but…”

“Recovery Magic is very diverse!” Kahono enthusiastically said. “Some people are specialized at mending flesh wounds, or easing aches, or even adding reinforcement! Judging how Asta’s body is like, I’m pretty sure he was in a lot worse condition in the past.”

Ponytail swaying behind her, the girl continued with a smile.

“Your doctor’s a really good one, like super top-notch! Healing seriously messed up wounds to the point they are just scars… That takes a lot! All I did was to take away bits of the burden from all that healing. It takes tons of energy to recover, after all, especially for someone like Asta!

“And now… One hundred yuls?"

Noelle immediately brought out her wallet and paid the fee. Kahono squealed in delight upon seeing the money.

“That being said… Noelle! As your friend, I have some advice for you! When you use magic, you might be straining too hard to suppress your magic!”

Noelle’s eyes widened. “You—you saw me?”

Laughing sheepishly, Kahono softened her smile. 

“You see… I relax by listening to the sound of the waves. I feel what I am feeling, and _that’s_ when I use magic.”

... When Noelle used magic, it was always a contest to keep her power steady and correct. Silvas used magic delicately with pristine control. From Nozel’s Mercury Magic, Solid’s water serpents, and then Nebra’s mist... As a royal, it was expected to use magic like a warrior. A ruler. 

And for Noelle...

“I think real concentration comes when your heart is relaxed. Say, what’s _your_ gentlest, most reassuring memory?”

“I… I’m not…”

“Your family, maybe?”

_Failure._

Noelle shivered. Almost hugging herself, she quickly stopped the motion and turned away. 

Family could mean many things. There was the commoner’s way of seeing that term, the kinder way, but in the end… Noelle was still royalty. 

Family was… 

Her hand twitched. Palm upturned, she stared at it.

Kahono blinked curiously. “Noelle…?”

“... I… I think I’ll continue training. Thank you, Kahono.”

Hours turned into days. Water splashed about.

Sometimes… It was funny.

Sea Dragon’s Lair breaking apart, Noelle panted heavily as she tried to catch her breath. Kahono would use her Song Magic to help recover her stamina, and the simple action made Noelle very grateful for her presence. Asta always accompanied her when she trained. He would sit there on a boulder and gaze ahead with Nero, and Kahono would cheer her on again and again.

Her magic faltered. Noelle wiped away sweat from her forehead. 

… Sometimes, it was funny. Hilarious, even, or maybe more pitiful. 

The way she would think about these kinds of things… How she would constantly ponder about them. They were always on her mind, but in the end, the royal girl had to remember. Noelle had a responsibility. 

As royalty, as a Silva, she…

… 

Between hate and fear, Noelle feared them more.

She was terrified of her family. Solid’s hurtful jabs, Nebra’s mocking smiles, and especially the sight of Nozel’s back… She was scared of them. 

But untalented and weak, eventually, the youngest of the Silvas just snapped. 

Noelle wanted to prove to them wrong. Her siblings, who always tormented her. They didn’t believe she could do anything, and she _really_ couldn’t do anything. It was for those very reasons Noelle worked harder. Hard work was looked down upon by royalty, but at this point, it was her only companion. Her drive. Frustrations and bad feelings were built up frantically, but she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t give in. Noelle’s entire life was a laughingstock, but she was royalty—she was going to make them _look_ at her, _acknowledge_ her!

Acier Silva. The painting of her mother was hung on that wall, and Noelle would gaze up at it. 

Lavender pink met lavender pink. 

...

Noelle wasn’t going to run. She wasn’t going to make any excuses. 

_I am Noelle_ , she would say, and on the second day joining the Black Bulls… Her magic went out of control.

_Shame. Despair._

The one who saved her was Anti.

And the one who saved her again was him as well.

His hand was held in hers as they stood frozen in the cold, suffocating hall. It was the reception after the decoration ceremony… Solid was making fun of her again, and Nozel made it known that he didn’t want her here. Head bowed down, she tried to leave, but… Asta refused to move. He stood there strong, and Noelle didn’t expect such strength from him at all.

There was this twitch from his pinky… A tiny sensation. Lavender pink eyes were blown wide, and at that moment, the walls she had built around her cracked again.

 _I’m here_ , the tiny motion said. _You don’t have to run from those people_. 

Asta had a hard time moving. Kahono’s explanation made Noelle understand that fact even more, and because of that… That tiny little action Asta made back then, it meant so much more now.

Much, much more. 

The Black Bulls were yelling on the top of their lungs under the full moon of Raquey. They were yelling and cheering and yelling some more, and Noelle was moved. It was the feeling of relief… Sense of gratitude. The acknowledgement that _yes_ , she did have some gentle, reassuring memories.

The Black Bulls, to Noelle, was not family. Family was cold, distant, and professional. It was lineage and a bond between blood. The Black Bulls weren’t like that. 

They were precious comrades… Her most important people. And for their sake, she wanted to help them.

It was a lullaby for her nightmares. 

A prayer for her dreams. 

_Water Creation Magic…_

...

_I… Did it._

“I…” Tearing up, Noelle let out a laugh. 

“I did it…!”

Everyone’s cheers intensified, and happiness and relief made itself known in Noelle’s heart. She was hopeful now, and hope solidified into truth. She could become stronger. 

She could control her magic.

Light did not reflect in dull eyes, but Asta continued to stare at the sight ahead. Beside him stood Kahono, and maroon colored eyes twinkling at Noelle’s visible happiness, the girl laughed brightly.

“Noelle has a lot of good friends, doesn’t she…! You, too, as well,” smile softening, Kahono chuckled. “Well, I have to go, now! See you all later, alright? At the temple.”

Turning away, she made her way to the ocean. Asta stared after her. 

Dull green blinking slowly, water splashed about.

_Sea Dragon’s Cradle._

* * *

Sekke Bronzazza was currently rethinking all of his life decisions. Alas, he was still sixteen, but still! This year he managed to get into the Magic Knights, specifically the Green Praying Mantis, but week after week he just kept bumping into pure disaster.

He sure had some luck. Just a few days ago he got trampled by some chaotic bunch of… He didn’t know. Sekke did have his suspicions of who they could be, but… Well, he did recognize the silver haired one. And the pink haired one. They met at the black markets… And Sekke didn’t really want to remember that.

Actually, weren’t they the Black Bulls?! He remembered bumping into one of them even farther back, like, the kid with the headband? Sekke shivered at the memory. When he approached the boy two years ago, an awfully aggressive anti-bird began pecking him like crazy. And here he was just trying to see if the kid was lost! It was alarming seeing a kid like him alone in the middle of town, after all!

Now came the million-dollar question… Why was he at this beach again? The answer was… He was on vacation. Vacation at the famous resort of Raquey, popular among nobles and Magic Knights. His break was going quite well until you-know-what, but he intended on spending the rest of his hard won holiday at this beach.

As a commoner, it was not an everyday occurrence to come here, after all! And thus—!

Sekke sighed sadly.

_This really sucks._

Getting into the Magic Knights itself was a miracle on its own, but things were tough. Lots of things. Sekke wasn’t sure what he was doing anymore, as well. Was this the mid-life crisis? He wasn’t even in his mid-life, though…

He sighed again, and with that _—_

Sekke paused.

_… This sensation. What’s—_

Green eyes widened in shock.

And shock turned into fear.

“Get into formation! We can’t let them get through!”

“Use your spells, quick _—!_ ” A Magic Knight’s head was bashed in as this horrible laughter sounded. Something cracked. It was somebody’s skull.

Strange people cloaked in strange clothing were in a group. Among them was… A beast. No, a monster.

More Magic Knights came in. Several were of high rank, and...

When Sekke was younger, he recalled the legendary tales of the Magic Knights. He thought it would be cool if he could become someone like that, especially since everyone spoke of them so highly. 

They were the heroes of this kingdom. The protectors of Clover and its people. The very figures that everyone strived to become.

_We believed in the Magic Knights… And for what?_

Hiding behind a boulder, Sekke managed to survive. Maybe those monsters thought killing him wasn’t worth it, because no matter how Sekke looked at it, they _definitely_ knew that he was there. Sekke quivered. Arms wrapped around his legs, the teen heard his teeth clattering. 

… It was despair.

The sand was scarred with the remnants of deadly magic. Fifty bodies were scattered on the shore. 

Sekke wasn’t even sure if any of them were still alive. 

...

Reinforcements… He had to get reinforcements. Hands shaking, Sekke tried to call the headquarters. 

The beast’s presence flared dangerously under the sea.


	22. Our Ocean - Part 2: A Singer's Fight

The ground was damp on where he sat. Blinking slowly, Asta turned to looked around. There were rocks and strange looking plants everywhere, so he was probably still in the temple. 

There was nobody nearby. Even Nero had gone somewhere when they first reached the Underwater Temple. He was on his own… The High Priest probably separated everyone.

…

A beat later, Asta got up to his feet. He began walking.

* * *

Kahono and Kiato heard about idols and dancers when they first visited the shore of Raquey. It wasn’t that they were forbidden to go to the surface, but aside from that shore… They weren’t allowed to go into the city. 

It was law, for they were also Temple Priests. 

The siblings were enraptured by the brilliancy of idols. Idols sang and danced, they earned big bucks as well. They were also very popular among commoners and some nobles, and at that moment, Kahono and Kiato realized that they had a dream. 

Here was the thing: right now the High Priest was their grandfather, and thus they were lucky. If they were born generations earlier, the act of resigning their duties as Temple Priests were ultimately impossible. When their grandfather was a child, it was strictly forbidden to even go _out_ of the temple grounds and torrent barriers. He spent his childhood within the temple, and when you knew that there were _more_ up there… It was suffocating.

But their grandfather was now High Priest, and his favorite thing was _fun_. He made the laws laxer, days funner, and dreams…

Dreams could become reality.

Nine verses nine, a feisty temple battle royale! It was the Temple Priests against the Black Bulls Magic Brigade, and Kiato was overwhelmed with excitement. 

_We’re seriously doing this! We hadn’t had guests since a decade... Good job, Kahono!_

Water tunnels rushing, the High Priest’s Game Magic came into life. All contestants were brought to different terrains, and Kiato adjusted his hold on his treasure swords. What kind of people are the Black Bulls? How strong would they be? He heard of them actually, but they were relatively unknown. A mystery it was… How exciting!

_Alright, let’s do this!_

But then...

“Hey!” Kiato called to the boy who was walking down the tunnel. “Wait up! We’re supposed to fight! Battle royale, you know!”

Kiato was facing a problem.

Sneak attacks were strategic. There weren’t any rules against ambushes. It was just Kiato—he wanted to have a friendly fight with the opponent, wouldn’t it just be fun? And either way, he already missed his chance to make an actual ambush. The kid appeared right after Kiato got rid of his grandfather’s nuisance spells, and giddy for an actual fight, the older tried approaching the other, but...

He was in a very strange position. Kiato could tell—the kid had no awareness that he was here. Absolutely no idea. Kiato even took off his mask and got in front of him, blocking his way! The boy just kept walking regardless of that fact!

Then why didn’t he just attack him either way?

It would leave a rather bad taste, so Kiato was going to make sure the kid _knew_ he was here before bonking the other’s head with the blunt of one of his swords. Kiato had decency as an older brother and priest. 

“Hello? Can you hear me?” Walking beside the kid, Kiato tried waving his hand in front of his face. Dull green did not blink nor register his presence. Kiato sighed.

Where was he even headed to? They had one hour to finish this game, y’know! Kahono talked about the surface people she befriended: a shyish girl with silver hair, a quiet boy with pale hair and a headband, and then this bird with a deadpan gaze! This was the quiet boy with a headband, Kiato was sure of it!

 _But I didn’t expect him to be_ this _quiet. Huh._

“... How about this. I’m Kiato! I love dancing, and it’s my dream to become a dancer who captivates the entire kingdom! How about you? Where are you heading? If your team beats mine, you might be able to get there, yeah?”

His words were completely disregarded. 

A pout formed. Kiato trailed after the boy.

… The kid looked very meek, though. But seeing that he had a Magic Knight robe, he must be strong, right? Logically speaking.

Kiato wondered. 

“... It would be nice if we can fight. You know, just friendly fighting,” trailing quiet, he thought to himself for a moment. The boy’s name… That was right. 

“Asta?”

The boy continued walking.

Kiato’s ears turned a bit red. 

_… Erm. Did I get the wrong person? But Kahono said she didn’t sense any mana from him… This got to be ‘Asta,’ right?_

“... Hello?”

No response.

There were a few ways to win the High Priest’s game. First, by defeating all members of the opposite team. Second, within the one hour time frame, the team with more members remaining would be announced winner. Even if this boy would still be in the game, as long the Temple Priests drag on for an hour and defeat the rest of the Black Bulls, then it would be their win…

Although…

Kiato didn’t like the idea of just walking away. This kid… Really. Where was he headed to?

It eventually became quiet. There was only the sound of water trickling down the walls, and perhaps the shuffling of other sea animals that lived in this area. Kiato’s footsteps were quiet, but the Black Bull’s was even more gentle. Kiato could tell that he was restraining his muscles… It was a reluctant motion, almost as if a force of habit. Kiato wasn’t sure. The boy was careful on the way he walked, though.

Stepping after him, the young priest eventually had his arms behind the back of his head. Blue eyes gazed up to the ceiling of the cave, and for a moment, Kiato had fallen into the thoughts in his head. This was a boring scene to see, so his grandfather was probably paying attention to the other potential skirmishes that could be happening right now.

He breathed from his nose. It was quiet.

…

Kiato flinched at the sudden influx of mana. A tremor ran past their feet, and blue eyes were blown wide.

“Wha—?!”

There was a crash, another one. This scary sensation prickled his senses, and Kiato felt his heart pound faster. This sensation… It doesn’t belong here. What was—

The kid suddenly turned on his feet. Kiato blinked after him. Distantly, he could hear these booming sounds, and the boy started walking in that direction.

“... Hey, wait—”

The voice that belonged to the Captain of the Black Bulls ran through the entire temple. It was a message to the brigade members, and while Kiato didn’t understand half of what he was talking about, he sort of had an idea where this was going.

_Somebody ugly crashed the game. He’s an Eye of the Midnight Sun leader, a wild man strong enough to go toe-to-toe with a Magic Knight Captain._

Grandpa’s voice bled in, and Kiato’s suspicions were solidified.

The thing about his grandfather’s magic… The High Priest wasn’t allowed to end the game once it started, but he had the power to alter its contents whenever and however he liked. It didn’t happen often, of course, but even Kiato understood that there was no helping this time.

No time limit.

Defeat the Eye of the Midnight Sun!

“Wait up! I’m coming with you!” Kiato yelled frantically after Black Bull boy.

* * *

The Black Bull boy was a mystery. Kiato didn't thought that a manaless person actually existed, and meeting the kid... It was kind of amazing.

Those of the Underwater Temple were good at picking up magic through sight. Ever since the siblings were children, Kahono and Kiato made good use of that ability throughout their life. Whenever Kiato danced, blue eyes would be watching the magic’s flow. A trance would be placed on himself, and mana would guide him through the natural waves of the ocean. That was the core of his magic, and it was similar for Kahono, whose voice was enhanced by the world around them. 

Kiato detected Lightning and Flame Magic. They were fighting against this insanely immense power that felt like hundreds of raging beasts, and a bad feeling stirred at the bottom of his stomach.

The pace they were running at was not slow, but it was not fast as well. There was a limit to how quick the boy could run, and Kiato didn’t want to leave him behind. Without any doubt, it was better to stick together.

They were getting closer now, and—

A sensation. Kiato nearly drew back at the sudden magic discharge. That was…

…

On the floor were two mages bloodied and beaten. Kiato could tell that their mana were drained, and there was no getting up from all those injuries. The familiar Black Bulls uniform… These were the boy’s comrades.

“So you are just maggots,” a voice rumbled, and a devastating feeling grew. Ominous magic was swelling, and moments were shortened into split seconds.

“Even when given a chance, that’s the best you can do? Then _take this, the despair known as death!_ ”

The man’s fist was met with the surface of a rusty blade. Kiato blinked and he realized that the boy he was with earlier was longer by his side, but instead right there, standing over his friends. 

“... Wha…?”

_That fast…?_

“Oh, it’s the Anti-Magic kid,” the man said blandly, and a terrible shiver went down Kiato’s spine. A terrible grin formed on the enemy’s face, and another heavy punch to the blade forced the physically weak boy to be blown away. “You don’t belong here, so get off this stage.”

The boy did not hit the ground. Kiato caught him first. Setting the younger down so that he could stand on his own two feet, Kiato fixed his hold on his own swords.

“I’ll fight with you,” because of adrenalin, he said that with a grin. Even without his eyes, Kiato could tell. 

_In the end, his magic is still in a completely different league. The magic that rolls off him keeps him constantly protected… An average attack spell from an average mage would be stopped immediately._

_That is how those two were blocked so easily. The magic discharge from earlier… And Dad, he got Dad too…_

The people of the temple were Kiato’s family. They were people he loved, and the beast in front of them was threatening to slaughter all of them. 

Kiato would never let him do that.

They must stop him here. 

…

“BIG BROTHER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SLEEPING OVER THERE?! YOU PROMISED WE’D BE IDOLS AND HUGE STARS TOGETHER, SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT?!”

Kiato jumped out of darkness immediately. How long was he out?! Did he get knocked out unconscious?! Just earlier, he had deflected the impact of a punch with his Dance Magic. He was blown away either way, and it took so much out of him! 

Blue gaze immediately darted to meet his younger sister’s, and relief came to Kiato’s senses. His entire body hurt all over, but Kahono and her friend were here. The pale haired boy… He was safe, too. Mostly unharmed… Good. Kahono’s Song Magic had cushioned his fall… The enemy’s attack gave him too much strain. That kid wouldn’t be able to get up any time soon. 

Each hit by that man was unbelievably deadly. If Kiato wasn’t careful enough, his head would’ve already been sent flying. He tensed his muscles. Looked like he could still push on…

Glancing back to his sister, Kiato noticed the nervousness in her demeanor. Even so, within Kahono’s eyes...

There was still a shine.

Kiato understood.

For the sake of their dreams… That was right. Legs burning, Kiato got back up to his feet.

Ever since they were small, the siblings offered their song and dance to the Sea God and the people. They served the Sea God, praying, dancing, and singing, weaving this magic into their lives. 

This was a union spell: Sea God Slash. Their hopes and dreams were in this magic, and this was their bond with the people of the Underwater Temple. 

Kiato’s sword shot forward. Only the nick of blood was drawn, but that was improvement. It was working. His muscles were tense and limbs were screaming _sore_ , but Kiato kept pushing on. Kahono’s song was serene and beautiful, dancing to the beat of her singing enhanced his own magic. They were performers and warriors at the same time. 

_Keep going._

_Keep going._

_Keep going…!_

A dangerous look was in wide eyes. The wild beast grinned darkly. 

“So what?”

Blinding pain. Kiato didn’t really register it. Looking down, he noticed that his right leg… It was…

“Big Brother!” Kahono yelled, and Kiato’s eyes widened. A heavy impact punched him in the gut, and Kiato was blown away. His back hit the wall, air was knocked out of his lungs—

A cut off scream. A choked cry. 

“Kaho—”

 _Crunch_.

Kiato tried to get up, but when his vision finally cleared, his breathing remaining unsteady, Kiato saw the sight in front of him.

Kahono…

The silver haired Black Bull looked beyond mortified. Kiato began to fade. 

“Dreams… Bonds? People like you… Shouldn’t even talk about such things!”

Grandpa’s Monster Toy manifested into existence.

They were destroyed in the matter of seconds.

“Every last one of you…” The monster snarled. “You’d think this was a child’s game! We’re the only ones who truly have dreams and bonds...

“ _The one you broke. Our golden dreams, and our bond of blood…!_ ”

They wouldn’t be able to sing or dance again.

It was impossible to reattach or regrow a completely torn off leg. 

And Kahono… Kahono’s throat… 

The monster pulled his sister up by her ponytail. 

“Well? Did you have a good taste… Of despair?”

  
  


“Let her… Go...!”

It was the silver haired girl. Noelle, Kiato remembered. In her hand was a wand, and she looked terrified and scared. The Black Bull was practically shaking on her feet, but the fact that she was still standing… 

“... You think words can stop me with words?” 

Kiato could tell. Noelle was thinking rapidly, and she was in a state of panic and distress. 

The thing about thoughts… They brought sense and logic, but at the same time, thinking too much delayed action. That was why Kiato had himself in a trance when he danced… Allowing his body to move on its own...

“Are you finished?” 

Kiato’s consciousness was fading. Blood loss… 

_…_

_Magic._

He could see the ripples in the mana. Kahono was using her magic.

... For there to be hope, there had to be courage. For there to be courage, there had to be a little bit of hope. Hopes and dreams... They weren't that easy to break, you know.

Intense mana. Potentially even greater than the beast’s himself… The entire temple was shaking.

An individual with tremendous potential. Hardworking as a member of the Black Bulls. A prayer.

The girl named Noelle stepped forward.

“Let my friend… Go!”

Being weak was nothing to be ashamed of. _Staying_ weak, was.

“I am Noelle Silva of the Black Bulls. How _dare_ you hurt my friends!”

* * *

Long, long ago, there lived a race of demonic, evil beings. They wanted to take the world and its magic for themselves… Creatures of malice. The strongest among them used Forbidden Magic to turn himself into a demon of incredible power, and he tried to exterminate humanity. It was as if the end of the world, but one man stood against him… The First Wizard King.

Nervous sweat rolling down the line of her face, Noelle stared ahead.

That man… He was just like one of the demons from those stories she heard when she was young. 

A demonic being… Of despair.

“Impressive... You drew me out, human…!”

He had a third eye. Ominous magic swallowed the world whole, and Noelle shouldn’t even tremble. This eerie magic… She never felt such a thing before. 

“Mythical Beast Magic,” Vetto of Despair murmured, and a language Noelle couldn’t understand reached her ears. 

There were strange magic circles. The Third Eye’s arm she blew away, it…

Grew back…

…

She tensed her grip on her wand.

Noelle wouldn’t run. All of her friends and comrades, they were depending on her. She had to stay. Protect them. She was the only one left standing.

Malicious magic kept swelling. Evil mana overtook the natural mana, and the enemy’s attack, it was heading straight at her. It was destroying everything in its way, closer and closer…

Sea Dragon’s Roar drained her all of her magic. She couldn’t—

Before the blast reached her, a Fallen Angel Gate opened. It was as if time slowed down, and lavender pink eyes widened.

The blast was redirected right back to the enemy. Vetto waved off the attempted attack easily, but...

Noelle felt her breathing hitch.

“Oh my…! Things really had become so messy here. It was just as Captain said!”

Thread Magic. Everyone who had fallen was pulled back to safety, and threads made out of mana skillfully closed as many bleeding wounds as it could. 

“I don’t have Recovery Magic, so we’ll have to do this quickly. You alright, Finral?”

“Q-quickly, you say... Ahaha… That would be hard, but I’ll manage…!”

Vanessa grinned. “That’s the spirit!”

Finral and Vanessa.

 _Finral and Vanessa_.

“Asta,” the Spatial Magic user asked cautiously, “can you stand?” 

A flicker, and Noelle sensed Asta’s ki.

Lavender pink eyes looked back, and her gaze landed on Asta. He was back on his feet, stamina recovered…

Kahono’s magic. During the night she used her Recover Magic on him, Asta’s physical state… Strain, Noelle remembered. He had a lot of strain, and Kahono had taken some away, right? Because of Kahono, he was able to get back up faster.

Kahono…

Vanessa smiled. “Looks like he’s good to go. Alright, now…

“Let’s do this, you two!”

"Big Brother, I met these really interesting people at the shore! They're really funny, and guess what! They're trying to get to the Underwater Temple!"

Kiato's eyes were blown wide. "Wha— _really_?! That's awesome, Kahono!"

"Hehe, and not only that...! They're also around our age!" Kahono made a silly smile as she gazed up to the waters above. "Noelle, Asta, and Nero. Nero is a bird, by the way, and they're all working super hard. I think our dream will come true soon, Kiato. It's really exciting.

"And... If it's against them, even if _they_ should win the game... There wouldn't be any regrets." 

She smiled brighter.

"Those are the kinds of people I think are the best!" 

... Courage and hope came hand in hand.

All Noelle needed was just a tiny little push, and... 

Because she was her friend, Kahono knew.

Noelle was bound for greatness someday.


	23. Our Ocean Final Part: A Story About Hope

Most of the time, the kid would only sit on the same couch, blank green eyes staring off to space. Finral would sometimes wonder what was going through the boy’s mind. What was he thinking about? A few hours passed, and worried that he might not be getting the exercise he needed, he tried to help him take small walks across the room as Owen instructed.

Baby steps, of course. It occurred to the mage that it might be painful for the boy to actually move, seeing how messed up his body was. 

Hand holding the other’s, it was a serene day in the Black Bull’s hideout.

* * *

One of Asta’s weaknesses was his physical strength. The reason why he could fight so well was due to the Anti-Magic, the power itself pulling him along. The problem was that his body was incredibly weak, and four years of healing really wasn’t enough. Anti-Magic gave his body a lot of stress, thus after almost every battle (or incident), they had to quickly get him back to Owen.

Owen would have a wry smile every time they popped up at his doorstep. 

They were currently facing off one of the Eye of the Midnight Sun’s executives. How things ended up this way… Finral would never know, but right now, the most important fact was that _they were right here_. Finral swallowed nervously.

His thoughts of cowardice… They were still here. He tried to stifle back a shiver. This was scary.

_But take a breath._

… Right now, at this moment, Asta didn’t have to use his Anti-Magic for the sake of mobility. Vanessa’s threads could help him with that, along with Finral’s Spatial Magic. They have done this before many times… To find a way for Asta to fight not only by himself. Anti-Magic made teamwork hard, after all, but they found a way.

Finral swallowed again. 

_Keep the ki in check._

_Sense it, the Anti-Magic._

Threads wrapped around Asta’s limbs in support for his body. Finral extended his arms forward.

In normal cases, they would never let Asta have to fight head first against a man like the Third Eye. In normal cases… They wouldn’t want him to fight at all. Except Anti-Magic was their only bet on winning right now, to land a strike past the enemy’s armor, and not to mention…

There was still one more thing.

_The Eye of the Midnight Sun does not want to hurt Asta._

Asta shot forward. The cold feeling of his Anti-Magic vanished momentarily, and Finral opened a Fallen Angel Gate. The Anti-Magic was back, and threads helped strengthen Asta’s grip on his sword. Vetto dodged—Vanessa changed Asta’s trajectory. Another Fallen Angel Gate opened. 

“Maggots,” Vetto murmured, and malicious mana intensified. The ki and mana was screaming at Finral, and biting his lips, he pushed his senses further. 

Their mana was draining rapidly. Finral nearly held his breath so many times, but he forced himself to breath steadily. 

_Keep watching. Read the ki._

An attack connected. The Anti-Magic sword whacked Vetto across the chin, and Vanessa quickly pulled Asta back before the Third Eye could catch him or his weapon. 

Blood dripped down the beast’s face.

_Anti-Magic worked…!_

For a moment, it was as if the enemy was pondering. A dry look was on his face, and after a little, he broke out into an equally dry laughter.

“Haha… Interesting… To think three people who are worthless alone could fight me by banding together…

“You make me sick.”

Another outburst of power. Finral’s eyes widened immediately as he pulled back his arms.

“Incoming—!”

Asta skidded back with the support of Vanessa’s threads. Narrowed eyes gazed down to where Vanessa and Finral stood, and at the moment Vetto charged at them, Asta quickly cut through his path with another nullifying blow. 

_Open more portals. Cause distractions as much as you can. Vanessa will handle the debris, Asta has to get a clearer shot of the guy!_

Finral tasted blood. His store of mana kept depleting, and it was getting harder to concentrate. 

_Right here, right now._

He remembered Yami. 

_Surpass the limits._

Asta’s blade stabbed Vetto by the right side. Vetto’s eyes widened, and dull green remained dull.

There was an instance of relief. Time slowed down.

Despair returned tenfold.

* * *

They couldn’t understand why he did it. 

Because Finral remembered. Very clearly. For whatever the reason, the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun didn’t want Asta to be harmed.

Finral remembered.

Was he mistaken?

Finral, Vanessa, and Noelle stared ahead in horror.

There was a story about hope.

Hope was what moved people forward, and it gave courage and a sense of comfort. Hope, in a sense, was the birth of dreams, a beautiful idea that held tremendous strength. 

During days that were biting cold, the warmth from fire was hope. 

During moments full of bitter grief, the extending of another's hand was hope. 

Hope was what brought a young girl to face her nightmares and turn stronger, and hope was what brought a smaller boy to find courage and run from his captors.

Hope… A beautiful idea indeed. So very sweet.

Vetto stared as Licht’s sword stabbed through his abdomen. Anti-Magic… It sliced through his strongest shield.

_Don’t cry, Vetto._

A younger Vetto sobbed. In his hands was a wounded little bird, and the sense of sorrow was overwhelming.

_They were tormenting this tiny bird. I couldn’t forgive them… Licht, I’m sorry. Thank you for always helping me._

A pause later, Licht smiled. He was full of understanding.

_What are you saying? We’re friends, aren’t we? I’ll help you anytime._

_Still…_ Gazing at the bird resting in Vetto’s hands, Licht’s smile turned sad. _We’re just like this bird._

The Third Eye… Forced incarnation made the malice side stronger. The drawbacks of Forbidden Magic, indeed.

_We’re not strong, but they’re jealous of the fact we can fly. So they hurt us._

Claws made out of rampanging mana grasped the boy’s frail arms. 

_But I…_

Shards of light were falling.

_I’ve got this feeling. That someday, us and the humans will be able to understand each other!_

Everyone was slaughtered in cold murder.

“Hope? _Hope?!_ You humans had no right to hope! You took everything away from us, stole our beloved dreams, tormented our families!” 

The humans were tormenting the helpless tiny bird even more. They were laughing, pulling on its wings—

“I know what is up, you all are depending on this manaless brat! Aren’t you, aren’t you all!”

The wings were broken and bloodied. Small hands cupping the poor bird gently, teardrops fell with distress and helplessness.

“He’s your makeshift hope, and once he’s broken, what could you pathetic beings do?!”

A harsh _crunch_. The sounds of bones snapping.

Dull green eyes were blown wide as pain made it known to his senses. A choked scream escaped from someone’s throat.

“Despair is most intense when you lose hope! Go on, despair! Despair! _DESPAIR_!” 

Licht was their hope. 

They destroyed Licht. 

His beloved.

His unborn child.

His home.

His everything.

Shards of light rained down from the reddened sky.

_Despair._

_Despair. Despair. Despair. Despair. Despair. Despair—_

…

_What is happening._

Everywhere in Finral’s mind was screaming at him. He wasn’t strong enough, he wasn’t capable. He never liked violence as well. This wasn’t a battle he could fight in, _so just run_. 

_What is going on._

Vanessa felt herself shook, and her throat was running dry.

Horror. Mortification.

Noelle trembled.

Anti, he was _—_

_No... No._

There wasn’t a scream or even a shout of pain. Asta’s already weak arms were crushed even more, and Finral felt everything at his feet breaking apart. 

_This wasn’t supposed to happen._

_This wasn’t supposed to..._

Asta.

Dull eyes wide, Asta’s lips were parted.

_Despair._

…

Magna and Luck were running around again, presumably because of one of Luck’s dangerous pranks. With a slightly amused laugh, Finral helped Anti avoid the two rascals.

He felt someone walking towards him. Looking up, Finral spotted Yami, who was drawing a breath from his cigarette.

 _You’re reading ki,_ Yami suddenly said. Finral blinked dumbly at the statement. 

A sigh later, the older elaborated. 

_Where I came from, there’s something called ki. It’s really the blanket term for all the different types of life energy the human body releases._

_Someone’s gaze, the sound of their breathing, their smell, the motion of their muscles, the vague sense that they’re there… Ki is all of that. It’s possible to pick up the ki of natural objects, too… But anyway._

_Seems like you got quite a good hang of it._

_Ki reading, that is._

A sensation. 

Anti-Magic bled through. 

The power pried the demonic monster’s claws off of the boy’s arms, and Anti-Magic… Anti-Magic flooded, rampaging like a storm.

No… Not a storm. It was controlled. Gently… Small tugs. Asta was controlling it, and Vanessa’s threads continued to exist.

Asta’s feet found themselves back on the ground. His arms were completely messed up and discolored, but Asta remained on his feet. Muscles and bones were creaking...

Heavy breaths. Labored breathing. 

Anti-Magic pulled the sword back to his grasp, and...

 _Just run,_ Finra’s mind had said.

 _But I can’t_. 

Frozen in place, Finral’s hands shook. Gaze of purple never left where Asta stood.

 _I can’t_.

He raised his arms and reached forward. His hands… They were still trembling, but there was no room for complaints. The intensity of the Third Eye’s mana made it hard to calm down, but Vanessa shot the Spatial Magic user a quick glance before readying her threads herself. 

… Vetto was right.

Finral, at least, might have depended on Asta a lot. To help him… It was self-gratification. Finral was aware of it.

But... The thing was…

Not makeshift, not made up. The man they were against was mistaken.

Everyone in the Black Bulls… To them, Asta _was_ hope.

The ki never lied, after all.

They had to do this. 

“DESPAIR! DESPAIR _—!_ ”

 _We won’t,_ Vanessa thought.

 _We won’t,_ Finral thought.

Noelle watched from the back, and for some reason, watching them, heavy feelings began to pull weight in her heart. 

Asta’s grip on his sword tightened. He was controlling his Anti-Magic so Vanessa’s threads wouldn’t snap. So he could go through Finral’s Spatial Magic. Everything was contained into his sword, the black lines receding from his skin. 

Fine tuning.

Vanessa’s threads strengthened.

_One more time… Let’s go._

They would fight against the concept of despair.

“We need to get a good hit on the guy again,” Vanessa said quickly. “One is not enough. We have to do it multiple times… Anti-Magic cuts off the mana currents, and if Noelle recovers enough, she could attack the places Asta hit before. He shouldn’t be able to recover that way.

“Otherwise, we need to drag on the fight until Gauche or Charmy gets here,” her eyes narrowed. “Or finish him either way.”

_Push your limits._

_Surpass them._

How was it possible for such a frail body to continue moving?

Four years of recovery was really far from enough. There were still traces of horrible wounds all over his body. Not to mention the invisible scars he sustained… The pain must be tremendous. 

Threads pulled and twisted through space. Finral grasped the mana and opened another gate. 

Pain was probably something Asta was used to. It was part of his daily life, and the thought itself felt _so_ wrong. Finral still remembered that moment the boy stepped forward at the cave. The sight itself terrified Finral, because it was as if the boy was using himself as a shield.

They were lucky that the enemy leader called all stops on their attack… But here, as they saw earlier, there was no one to stop the monster of despair’s rampage. They had to stop him themselves, and...

Finral felt guilty. Guilt was overwhelming, but Finral knew. He had to live with it. Acknowledge it… And then potentially, do something about what he deemed unfair.

Another Fallen Angel Gate opened.

_We’re not done, yet._

Asta stooped forward, and right then, right there...

For the first time, dull eyes became more focused. 

For a split second, they were.

* * *

Asta remembered the soft singing. Maroon eyes glittered, and there were stars. Floating stars… Firefly dandelion fluffs.

“We’re here to bring down the big bad! Come at me, la!”

Finral’s arm was supporting his back. At the sound of Charmy’s voice, the boy slowly closed his eyes.

“You’re late.”

It was safe here. 

“La?!”

It was safe.

“Like really late.”

“Oh, so we can head back to the surface, now? I’m very low on Marie, Captain.”

“Gauche… I think your priorities should be checked again, but _Mister Yami_ ! I seriously thought we were all going to die! _It was so terrifying you won’t be able to imagine it—_ ”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re alive right now, alright.”

“Captain! You’re a lifesaver, really! Have a drink!”

“Thanks.”

“H-hey! S-shouldn’t we get Magna, Luck, a-and Asta patched up, first? T-they’re really badly injured!”

“True, but... Uh, who are you?”

“I-I’m Grey!”

“Grey?!” 

“Yes! It turned out that Grey is actually a cute girl, la!”

“R-right…”

“Kahono, Kiato! I’m so sorry for dragging you two into this foolish game…! Thank you, Black Bulls! The Underwater Temple is indebted to you all!”

“Your welcome, and now hand over the magic stone.”

An awkward silence.

“... Erm. What’s a magic stone?”

Before Yami had the chance to draw his sword, Nero came back and nested the magic stone it found within the sleeping Asta’s hair.

Everyone stared at the bird.

The bird stared back.

...

Everyone started laughing, and tears from stress might had escaped that day.

Finral wiped closed eyes with the back of left arm. He chuckled.

Asta was sound asleep.

“Congratulations, Licht!” 

“Congratulations, Tetia!”

Flower petals drifting, they danced with the firefly dandelion fluffs of this special day. A special day indeed… Tetia looked so happy. She was practically glowing with happiness, and the couple laughed together. 

Firefly dandelion fluffs continued to dance.

It was a story about hope.


	24. Towards Each Other

Green eyes would glitter with the light from Father Orsi’s fire. It was winter, and under the same blanket, the three kids huddled together.

“Ack—stop kicking me, Recca!”

Recca stuck out her tongue as Asta made a funny expression. Squirming around to kick each other, Yuno, who was stuck uncomfortably between the two, ended up letting go of an incredibly small and teary laugh. 

Back then, Yuno would laugh and cry openly. He was quick to get emotional, always scared of the smallest things...

“Children,” a kind voice called, “the tatoes are ready!”

“Tatoes?! Yay! Sister Lily’s tatoes are the best!”

“Ah… Father is the one who made them, Asta.”

“Eh?!”

Yet there were not many reasons to be upset. Joyful days… They were blessed. 

* * *

“Whatcha doing, Nash?” Nash jumped in surprise and quickly turned around. Leaning against one of the demon’s bones, an amused smile rested Recca’s lips.

“R-Recca! Uh,” the younger of the two fidgetted a bit. “Training, obviously.”

Recca laughed cheerfully. “Training, huh!”

Hage Village was the nearest to the Demon Skull, but even so, there was still quite a distance between the two places. The sun was tilted in a way that was near evening, and Recca crossed her arms. 

Nash was pretty determined to follow Yuno’s footsteps. The older smiled. 

_Not bad at all_. 

She was only three or four at the time, but his noisy yells were incredibly hard to forget.

There was surprise when the church received Yuno’s letter. Nash, Aruru, and Hollo obviously didn’t get the expression that found itself on Sister Lily and Father Orsi’s faces, but when Recca caught a glimpse of that familiar name… She realized.

Yuno’s handwriting was neat and steady. It was easy to read, which showed his diligence in his studies. 

Recca read the letter. She read it again.

… About ten years ago, Yuno came home alone. 

“... We never really talked about him, huh,” Recca commented nonchalantly. Nash blinked as he tried mustering up more fire.

The air was cool under the Demon Skull. Recca glanced down to the grass that grew near her feet. 

“Right,” Nash answered awkwardly. “This ‘Asta,’ he used to live here…?”

Recca nodded. Taking a seat on a nice spot, she pulled on the leaves of a random plant. “He and Yuno were the oldest. When you were still a baby, Asta once carried you, too. But I guess you were too small to remember...”

She chuckled.

“He nearly dropped you.”

A pause later, Nash sputtered.

“Hah?!”

Recca laughed.

“I wonder how Yuno is doing! And Asta,” she wove her hands together. “The entire village is so relieved… I feel kinda bad that we never really talked about him, though. To you guys. Aruru, Hollo...”

“... Well, it’s not like he’s going to be the same person as you remembered, right?” Nash played around with the fire in his hands. “I’ll look forward to meeting him, though, if he ever comes by.”

Recca blinked slowly.

Nash continued to work on his fire.

… The flames were bright. Flickering and flickering… Just like Father Orsi’s. 

“... Yeah,” Recca agreed. The smile on her face grew brighter.

Sister Lily was always concerned by the fact Yuno never showed his emotions anymore. Even though he cried so much after Asta’s disappearance, it was as if all of his tears finally ran out. 

Recca knew how important Asta was to Yuno. Since they were small, Yuno would always follow Asta around. And Yuno was now running himself to the ground, all for the sake of this village and Asta’s dream. Yes… Recca remembered how Asta would yell all the time, too, but she wasn’t even sure if she would call it a dream anymore. 

To become the Wizard King… When the words came out of Yuno’s lips, it felt more like a responsibility. 

Nothing happy, lacking the three leaves. 

Lacking _something_.

 _To everyone back at home,_ Yuno’s handwriting wrote.

Yuno had come home battered and bruised. Pendant was missing, and Recca glanced around for Asta. Asta had gone outside to look for Yuno, after all. It was snowing and cold.

 _Something’s wrong,_ Asta had said. _I’ll be home with Yuno right away!_

Yuno’s letter crumbled in Recca’s hands. 

He never came back.

_I don’t think he remembers me, or any of us, but he’s safe and healthy._

It was so heartbreaking. If Recca already felt like this upon reading this letter, then what about Yuno?

What was going through Yuno’s mind? Now that he finally reunited with Asta?

_He’s been working as a Magic Knight. A Black Bull, and I think he is the one who saved Saussy with his squad mates, back when that village got attacked. We worked together to protect the Royal Capital, the news should reach Hage by now._

_I also got promoted, so don’t worry about me. Asta got promoted as well._

_The Black Bulls are all good people, so Asta is in a good place, now._

_When we're ready, I will ask Asta if he wants to visit._

_He's really in a better place now, though. I wanted to tell you all._

_From, Yuno._

Healing was a long process, Recca knew. 

But for that reason...

She looked forward to the day this family could be back together again.

“I’ll look forward to meeting him, too, Nash…!”

* * *

Kiten, heart of Clover’s border defense against Diamond. It had a long history of skirmishes with the offending country’s armies, for the village was also wealthy in natural resources. For that reason, many Magic Knights were stationed at the site, however… It seemed that this time’s attack was different from Diamond’s usual harassments. 

A horde of enemies with three of the Eight Shining Generals.

Should this town fall, Diamond would have an instant advantage in invading. That was the main concern.

“Yuno~! Come on, let’s go on a date!” Yuno promptly ignored Bell as the Golden Dawn squad made its way to the border town. The squad consisted of ten members in total, including the captain himself. 

Klaus and himself were in charge of transportation. Once they reached the site, the order was to defend the town and take down Diamond invaders. 

Kiten was at sight. Yuno could feel the flares of the enemy force’s mana in waves. 

The fight only began… Eyes of gold narrowed. It seemed that the town’s knights were in trouble. 

“All right, everyone,” the moment everyone sat foot on the cobblestone ground, Captain Vangeance began. “Let’s show our ill mannered guests the door.”

“Mimosa, you tend to the wounded,” Klaus quickly instructed. “Yuno, you know what to do.”

Two separate nods of acknowledgement later, the team immediately split to different parts of the village. Bell was still chattering loudly by his ear, but Yuno caught the mana of what he presumed enemy generals.

Villagers were running away frantically with screams of fright. There was also a mother who was carrying a child in her arms… Yuno set his foot on the ground as they ran past him. 

“Blocking my way?!” A burly man enforced with clayish armor grinned maliciously. You’ve got guts, moron! I’ll blast you to pieces!” 

He was riding on what seemed like a boar… Creation Magic… There were also other Diamond mages by his side.

Yuno raised a hand.

_Wind Magic: Tornado Fang._

The fake-boar immediately broke apart, blowing away all enemies at sight.

“Who’s blasting whom to pieces?”

Bell pouted.

“Yuno…! Well, look at _you_ , acting all cool. My, my,” shoving a finger at his face, the spirit continued. “Come on, use my power, too! Listen, you! _That’s_ why you can’t make any friends! Because you keep putting airs like that! Why don’t you try making a breezy smile once in a while, Yuno?!”

The spirit drew back at Yuno’s blank stare.

“H-hey! I’m one of the Four Great Spirits! Don’t you dare ignore me! Say something, boy!”

“... Pipe down.”

“ _Excuse_ me?! What?! You won’t ever, _ever_ make friends, you dummy! But don’t you worry—! I’ll still stay with you forever, lucky you!

“Alright, Yuno! Let’s go get rid of those guys quickly, then go on a date!”

“... No.”

Bell has gotten a lot more talkative over the past few weeks. Yuno wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but her presence certainly made his nights noisier than it had to be. 

The spirit just wouldn’t quiet down, wouldn’t she.

Tapping into his senses, Yuno could feel the mana signatures of the civilians. Those in the vicinity were gathered behind him, so that was good… Fear and anticipation vanished. They were cheering him on for he was a member of the Golden Dawn. Glancing at the enemy, they seemed to have multiplied and were currently arguing.

Two of the Shining Generals, no…?

… Huh.

Lightning arrows shot towards him and the people. At the call of her name, Bell immediately brightened up.

_Wind Magic: Swift White Bow._

The attack was countered. Wind Magic pierced through the enemy mages’ barriers, and the enemy generals stared in shock and horror.

… They didn’t seem that strong. Weren’t these generals supposed to be at a Captain’s level?

Glancing down to his hand, Yuno pondered.

“Beat that, you’ll never defeat Yuno!” Bell cheered as the Lightning Magic user seemed to strain with further infuriation. Yuno wanted to sigh.

Eyes of gold blinked. This sensation… It was the captain’s magic. 

Over the entirety of Kiten, a great tree bloomed.

* * *

“Yuno, was it?” A few weeks after the attack on the Royal Capital, Yuno had bumped into the ever elusive Captain of the Golden Dawn. His uniform was finished being tailored, so Yuno was now wearing the complete Golden Dawn attire. Bell was by his side as well. She was wearing a look of difference as she hovered by Yuno’s head. 

“... Captain Vangeance,” Yuno greeted. He recalled how Klaus described their captain… A respectable mage, user of World Tree Magic.

It was said that he was next in line as Wizard King. William Vangeance. 

There was a mysterious smile on the man’s lips.

“It is nice to officially meet you, Yuno. Would you mind accompanying me?”

Why would such a renowned mage want to walk with a peasant like himself? 

Yuno gazed at the current sight of Kiten before summoning his White Hawk. Lightning Magic crackled in the air, and more arrows shot towards him. The enemy general was completely zeroed into fighting Yuno… At least that gave the civilians time to run.

He sensed carefully of the mana’s flow. 

_Wind Blade Shower._

“Ack…!” The enemy drew back as his control became unsteady. To be this frantic as a general...

“How dare you…! I’m one of the Eight Shining Generals! Hurry and let my beautiful magic shatter you!”

… It was honestly disappointing. 

“Beautiful… Huh.”

The White Hawk shifted, and a single spear was formed.

“Beauty doesn’t matter in a fight. It’s simply… Whoever’s strongest wins.”

The Wind Magic user sensed familiar mana signatures. Glancing down, he noticed the instantly recognizable Black Bulls uniform. They were evacuating the civilians...

Blinking, he landed where they were.

“... Finral, right?”

“Oh!” The Spatial Magic user’s eyes widened in surprise. “Yun—”

“My Meal Saving Prince!” A certain Cotton Magic user jumped into sight. Charmy was here as well. “Um…! Please have an after-battle snack, it has been a while…!”

Accepting the muffin, Yuno nodded in thanks. He gave a small piece to Bell out of habit, which Bell took with a bit of reluctance. She was giving Charmy a strange stare.

Finral and Charmy. They were Asta’s companions… Yuno looked around. Asta wasn’t here, though. Was it just them…?

He took a bite out of the muffin. It was good.

“Mister Yami—ah, our captain, wanted to come here for some reason… So we kinda tagged along, but might as well help out, right?” Finral explained. Noticing something about Yuno, a soft smile reached the older’s face. 

“Are you wondering about Asta?”

… It must be ki. Yuno nodded.

“I see… You must be worried…!” 

Yuno nodded again. The Black Bull continued to smile. 

A good second later, Finral’s expression visibly soured.

Yuno stared at the other.

…

“... What is the meaning of that look?”

“Erm,” Finral started, and he fidgeted a bit, “you see… Well.”

Noticing Finral’s distress, Charmy’s expression soured as well, and the two Black Bulls stood there with a gloomy air. 

Yuno wasn’t sure how to feel about this. 

“... Did something happen—”

“Oh? What’s this?” A familiar voice interrupted. It was Vice Captain Langris, Yuno realized.

Finral seemed to know him. At the sound of Langris’ voice, he had immediately tensed up...

… Come to think about it, Yuno did find Finral familiar when they first met. Now that he compared the two...

“If it isn’t my older brother! It’s been ages, to think we’d meet at a place like this.”

Yuno paused.

Oh.

“Our family’s black sheep who can barely fight at all…" Langris' eyes darkened. "What business could you have on a battlefield?”

… Oh.

“Are you still the Black Bulls’ pack mule, Finral? Looks like I’m going to have to become the next head of the Vaude House, you know, because you’re such a loser,” taking a small turn, the Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn’s smile turned wry. “The Bulls aren’t needed here either way, too. We’ve cleaned up most of the enemy… Or rather, our captain already dealt with them.

“So what are you still doing here for?”

“Hey! That’s no way to talk to your big brother!” Charmy suddenly yelled. Finral stared at her with wide eyes. “Finral’s awesome, y’know! He’s the one always helping us all out!”

“As the pack mule, I would guess,” Langris replied blandly. “But wow, the Black Bulls really did become a daycare center, huh!”

Yuno glanced at Finral. There was an expression on the older’s face that he couldn’t describe. 

... It was just as Klaus said, Vice Captain Langris had a twisted personality.

“Actually... You might be partially right about that,” Finral began with a slight waver. Charmy looked like she was ready to wage war, but the older had quickly pulled her back. “The whole daycare thing…”

He looked up, and purple eyes met the other’s teal ones. 

“But you’d be surprised how much they could look after themselves, along after others.” 

“... Hmph,” breaking eye contact, Langris turned away. It was a split second’s moment where the vice captain suddenly winced, and then an abrupt influx of magic caught them all off guard. 

An enemy mage—one of the Shining Generals. Slime Magic came charging straight towards Langris, but Spatial Magic made it impossible for the enemy’s spell to reach him.

“Boy…!” Bloodshot eyes. The Diamond mage was out for blood. “By the honor of the Eight Shining Generals… I’m taking your head back home with me!”

A humongous slime-snail. Eye of gold narrowed. Civilians were trapped in the enemy’s spell... It wasn’t good. 

_I wasn’t able to detect his mana signature… A careless mistake._ They had to go help the captured civilians, but Yuno realized an important fact.

None of their magic was suitable for this.

_Tornado Fang would hurt the people. If the wind isn’t strong, then it wouldn’t be able to blow the enemy’s magic away. Cotton and Spatial Magic… In this situation, what could they do…?_

“Agh… Right at this moment, this is so annoying,” one hand gripping the side of his head, Langris grumbled with hints of annoyance and lethargy. Assessing the enemy, teal eyes darkened even more. He raised his free hand with the swelling of magic. “There’s no helping it. They’ll be noble sacrifices for the sake of the country—”

Finral’s eyes widened. “Wha—you can’t do that, Langris!”

Another blast of slime, Langris swiped it away.

“There is no room for second guesses on the field, brother. Do you even know how the battlefield works?”

“But there has to be a better way,” Yuno cut in, and he raised his hand and called for the wind. Bell was immediately at his aid. “Charmy, could you make cushions around the vicinity of the enemy?”

“E-eh?” Blinking in surprise, Charmy’s eyes brightened as her grimoire flipped open. “Of course! Anything for Yuno!”

Cotton formed instantly, some taking the form of sheep. They hovered at a small distance away from the enemy, which the enemy did not pay any attention to. Just like the Diamond mage with the Lightning Magic, all of his attention seemed to be on Langris alone. 

_But we can use that to our advantage. He’s not focused._

“Bell, support.”

“Absolutely!”

“Finral, sir,” Finral jumped at the sound of his name. Yuno continued without looking back. 

“Please catch the civilians with your Spatial Magic.”

There was an instance of surprise, but from the way how Finral’s mana calmed down, he seemed to get what he meant. 

The ability to support and rescue… It was an important factor as a Magic Knight, but the thought itself constantly slipped out of everyone’s minds. Yuno’s included.

 _Be flexible with the way you use your magic,_ Captain Vangeance had advised him that day. The two of them were walking down the Golden Dawn's halls. _There is no strict way of using your magic… As such as myself, I had to adjust a lot in order to use offensive spells._

_You have a lot of potential as a mage and Magic Knight, Yuno. I look forward to seeing how you nurture that power._

Bell forced the wind still. 

_Tornado Fang… But softer. Make the blades of wind duller._

The mana’s flow was clear to Yuno’s senses.

_Break the slime apart._

Fallen Angel Gates opened and redirected the blown away civilians. Those he wasn’t able to catch landed safely on Charmy’s cotton, and at that moment, Finral quickly used his magic to bring them away from the enemy. 

The enemy general was the only one left, stuck in the center because of Yuno’s magic. He noticed how one of his arms was missing… Blood loss was prevented with Slime Magic. Langris must have shaved it away with his Spatial Magic, before this whole ordeal began. 

_A binding spell…_

Yuno gripped his hand into a first. His grimoire flipped to a new page.

_Wind Spirit Magic: Liable Tempest._

Yuno glanced up to where Langris stood.

“... I would imagine capturing at least one enemy, a general no less… Would do the kingdom better.”

No casualties. All of the civilians were safe.

A beat later, Langris laughed.

“As expected of our genius Four Leaf peasant."

* * *

“Asta… Got injured?” Finral winced at Yuno’s question. Nodding, the Black Bull sighed.

“We kinda… Got in this situation… During a mission. The enemy was really strong, and Asta was the only one who could fight him at the time. He’s currently checking with Owen, so…” Shifting a bit, Finral bowed down his head. “I’m sorry.”

Yuno blinked slowly.

“... Why are you apologizing?”

Finral drew back. “Eh?”

“He’s asking why you’re apologizing, dum-dum!” Bell chimed in, and Yuno quickly told her to quiet down. 

Looking a bit taken aback, Finral scratched the back of his head. “W-well… I mean, you and Asta were…”

“... That was ten years ago. I think him getting injured… That would hurt you guys more. You’ve looked after him for this long, after all, and you’re the Black Bulls.”

Finral stared at Yuno.

“... O-oh… I thought you’d be…” Looking for the right words, Finral let out a small, breathy laugh. “I got really worried. But… Well, either way! Owen’s helping him right now, so he should be alright. Our doctor’s a really good one, after all.”

Yuno nodded.

“Then that’s all I needed to know.”

A small beat later, Finral scratched the back of his head again. 

“Um… Yuno?” 

“Yes?”

“About earlier... Langris… Um, he might act that way, but he’s actually a kind person! It’s just… He has a lot of stress, because of our family… So uh, I hope… He’s treating you okay. Since he’s your superior, after all…

“And… About earlier. Thank you.”

...

“Vice Captain Langris is professional during work. I could see why he is Vice Captain in the first place… To a degree.”

 _And most importantly,_ Yuno thought.

“We’re Magic Knights. There is nothing to be thanked about.”

“Oh look at you, acting all cool again! We’re done here now, right? Can we go on our date, now?”

“... Pipe down, Bell.”

Finral seemed more relaxed, now. 

An exchange of goodbyes later, they parted ways.

* * *

There were some things only _one person_ could notice… Simply because they were close to the person. Others wouldn't understand. They wouldn't get it. With their own images of an individual, they call them the worst. Evil.

Yet at the same time, the true nature of an individual could be uncovered by an outsider uninfluenced by biases and other knowledge. The love one had for another blinded them of the truth... Or what could be the truth.

But biases were always present. Impartiality was impossible.

What was real?

Yami drew a breath from his cigarette. Ashes were gathering, and dark eyes’ gaze remained on the other Captain.

“That’s one heck of a scar. Did you get it in battle?”

Vangeance smiled sadly.

“No. I was born with it. They called me a cursed child.”

A story of abuse and crippling loneliness… 

Julius… He really had a habit of picking up the strange ones, huh. 

“Sorry for making you feel bad,” Yami said, and Vangeance shook his head.

“No, I’m glad I was able to tell and show you things as they really are. Thank you, Yami—”

A sudden flinch.

Silence.

“You seem to be wincing a lot recently. What’s wrong with your head?”

“... I will check with a healer, later. I am not exactly sure…”

His ki wasn’t lying. “Huh.”

A hand raised to press against one side of his head, a small frown remained on Captain Goldy’s face. Vangeance shook his head. He smiled.

“Well, I suppose we should transport the captives, now. There are quite a lot… A chore, it is.”

Yami nodded.

“Haha, yeah. Oh. Since we’re moving captives, I’ve got some handy people...”

About a decade ago, they met on the same battlefield. They weren’t exactly close, but they knew each other for quite a while now. Yami hoped that he could believe in that trust. Because otherwise…

For both himself and Julius.

That would just be horrible, wouldn’t it.

“I see... A Sylph…! Offensive Spatial Magic… Oh? With the use of other’s magic… World Tree Magic?”

A grin. 

“Fascinating… So the Captain of the Golden Dawn has the World Tree. William Vangeance?”

Mariella carefully flipped through the files. Acting as a spy served difficulty, but she was still trained in this field. Diamond wouldn’t realize that she was working for the revolution as well. 

_… This is…_ Frowning, she picked up one of the folders. It was tightly sealed, and...

“You should be more careful, y’know.”

The girl stifled back a flinch. Turning back calmly, cold eyes met the other’s lazy ones.

Lotus of the Abyss, Adjutant General.

Lotus’ smile was as lazy as his eyes.

“See… Since I’m a dad of three daughters, I might as well just let you go. A word of advice.”

A beat, and then he continued.

“If it’s about that boy, I don’t think there is any point of looking for information on him. Morris is quite sick that way, I would say.”

“... I think you have misunderstood,” Mariella began, and Lotus made a shrug. 

“Please at least believe this old man’s words. That kid… Well, there’s this and there’s that. Good luck, I guess. Please do relay that to Kruger, yeah?

"It’s nice to know that Diamond’s spirit still exists."


	25. Because of Who We Are

“... Cursed?”

Finral stared at Owen. 

Gaze slowly drifted to where Asta sat, purple eyes remained wide.

_That was ten years ago. I think him getting injured… That would hurt you guys more. You’ve looked after him for this long, after all, and you’re the Black Bulls._

Finral swallowed dryly. 

Owen, who had an understanding gaze, gave some space to the stunned young man. He was already beginning to wrap up Asta’s arms, and...

 _The Eye of the Midnight Sun wouldn’t hurt Asta_ , they all thought.

How mistaken they were.

* * *

… Something was up. Barbecue meat simmering on the grill net, Magna Swing scrunched up his nose. 

Just earlier, they were at the Underwater Temple. Crazy stuff happened. Him and Luck got knocked out during the last leg (or was it the first) of the battle, but things managed to work out at the end. Apparently, Lady Noe and Asta went crazy with their fighting! Too bad he wasn’t awake to see, not to mention Captain Yami?! The entire population even threw a banquet for them! Even though the Black Bulls were really just a group that did whatever that they wanted, being thanked… 

It gave off a nice feeling. 

But Magna was concerned. Munching on a piece of meat, he furrowed his eyebrows. Captain Yami had a successful afternoon gambling, so he went ahead and treated everyone to some barbecue. It was supposed to be a very happy and joyful moment, but…

While everyone was enjoying the feast, Magna noticed.

… And everyone else, too. Because it was just painfully obvious.

Finral. He was sitting rather gloomily over there, a half filled mug of beer in his hands. A gloomy Finral meant bad news. No one was even bothering to jab jokes at him, unlike how they usually would, because they could tell.

_This was serious._

And a gloomy Finral usually meant: one, something about his home life again, or two, Asta. 

Magna glanced at Asta. He was nibbling quietly on the barbecue Charmy brought to him. 

… Magna was willing to bet that this was about Asta. 

“... Should we poke fun at Finral?” Luck suggested, and Magna immediately (loudly) whispered _no!_ Leave the guy alone! 

Asta’s arms were broken from the previous battle. Even though everyone else was relatively back to full health, given Asta’s health record, healing was the on-going battle that no one could really support him with. Being unable to help… It was crushing, and for Finral, even more so.

Finral had been the one taking care of Asta most of the time, after all. Even before the Flame Magic user joined… Luck, too. Finral was the kind of guy who needed time, so everyone continued to enjoy the barbecue. 

Lady Noe looked like she was trying to feed Asta with some of the kebabs she successfully cooked, Charmy kept beating her to it, however, and Asta took a long time nibbling on the same piece of meat. 

It was getting late. Vanessa was ready to fall over with all the booze she already drank. She was teasing Grey, who was bashfully covering her face.

From the corner of everyone’s sight, Yami had plopped a hand on top of Finral’s head. Finral’s posture stiffened. The night air was cool. Fire was dying under the steel nets, and the day was about to end. Cozy.

“... I still think we should poke fun at Finral.”

“Haha, yeahhhh. Let’s not do that, Luck—”

“Hey, Finral!” Magna squawked as Luck dashed to the gloomy Spatial Magic user. Seeing that he caught his attention, Luck began to blab about whatever he was blabbing about (Magna couldn’t quite hear him from this distance), and Finral’s eyes widened in surprise.

The look on Finral’s face softened a bit. He cracked open a sheepish smile.

… _Alright, then._

Luck was a weird guy for sure.

There was gentle crackling from the dying fire. Everyone eventually calmed down, and it was quiet. The fire continued to burn.

“... So,” Vanessa began, a small smile on her lips. Her face was a little red from alcohol, but she was very awake. “Should we talk about it?”

Everyone’s attention was on Finral, even if their eyes were not on him. Ki. Magna shuffled a bit on his seat.

A beat and then the next. Finral sucked in a small breath. The sheepish smile dipped into a miserable expression, and his head was bowed down so no one could meet his eyes.

“About… About Asta’s arms. They’re…”

Finral’s breathing hitched. Shaking his head, he tried to continue.

For him, everyone waited.

“There’s an ancient curse on them. They won’t be able to recover.” 

...

Magna slowly gazed to wear Asta sat. Green eyes were downcast as usual. Asta was hard to read, and Magna wasn’t _that_ good at reading ki, too, so…

...

Finral looked like he was trying his hardest not to break down. Even though he himself knew that with the Black Bulls, it was okay to just rest on everyone else’s shoulders... But Magna understood. At least, to an extent… He understood.

Yami took a sip from his booze. “Owen’s the best doctor in Clover. If that’s the case, no healer in this kingdom could help the kid.” 

The bitter truth.

…

There was a focused look in lavender pink eyes.

“But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible,” Noelle voiced, and everyone’s attention was averted to the girl. Lady Noe… She turned really strong over these months.

“There’s still a lot of unknowns. Asta… We could still find a way to break the curse, and then heal Asta’s arms. I’m sure we’ll be able to! Because that Vetto. He managed to grow back his arm. There got to be magic out there that could heal what seemed to be unhealable wounds.”

Kahono and Kiato from the Underwater Temple were critically injured. Kahono’s throat was injured to the point that despite being healed, her voice wouldn’t come out anymore. And then Kiato’s leg… Magic could at most close wounds, but reattaching or even regrowing a limb was impossible. It should be, at least, but the Third Eye, Vetto of Despair, proved them wrong. 

Noelle seemed like close friends with the Kahono girl. It was no doubt that she wanted to help her as well… Along with Kiato.

“Lady Noe’s right,” Magna agreed, and he placed his hands together. “We just gotta find another way, no matter how difficult it ought to be.”

Luck smiled.

“We can also get stronger at the same time, too.”

“I’m going to go search for magical food!” Charmy suddenly yelled. “Something got to help Asta there!”

(“I think it would be a good idea if we go in groups,” Gordon suggested. “That way we won’t miss any information while searching in the same place.”)

Gauche sighed, scratching his head. “The Royal Library… There might be some stuff stuck in there, right?”

“Uh-I,” Grey swallowed, her gaze glued to her feet. Shuffling a bit, she squeezed her eyes shut and proclaimed: “I want to help, too!”

Vanessa chuckled, and a small smile slowly made its way back to Finral’s face. 

Hope.

“... You guys...”

Yami laughed.

“Surpass your limits, you dumbasses.”

They were the Black Bulls. They weren’t going to let the word “impossible” stop them, and they cared a lot for the kid sitting right there. 

Throughout these four years...

Anti. Silent as he was, he always helped them.

Asta.

* * *

It felt bad when you realized that you were too weak. More like… You had always known, but the truth was shoved once again in your face.

Old Man Seihi died. Just a day or two before he lost his life, he had been happily gambling money with Yami and Magna. Saussy was in trouble… Elitist nobles who went rogue wanted to kill everyone. Thinking about it, they might be part of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. 

Next, Vetto. His strength was leagues above, and it was almost crippling just to stand in front of him. Luck managed to keep up the speed, but both of them were defeated either way. Even with their combined efforts… There wasn’t even a scratch on the guy, right?

The truth was shoved in the face. 

But then...

Well, that didn’t matter at all.

The ant hill dungeon was crazy. Golems were chasing them down, and Luck was laughing as Magna screamed bloody murder. 

“GYAH!” Magna squawked, and he quickly called upon his mana. It fizzled out, and the young Flame Magic user cringed at how low his mana supply was.

“You over already, Magna?” Luck laughed as he tried to shoot some lightning at the hostile golems. Dust and debris burst about, and Magna quickly yelled back.

A desperate grin grew on his face.

“Hell no! I’m just getting started, idiot!”

Charmy and Grey went scavenging through a mysterious forest. Perhaps they could find some sort of magical ingredient that could potentially help Asta break the curse! Charmy was an expert in food, after all, and with Grey’s transformation, it was like having two Charmies!

Gauche scanned through the text. Magic arrays, past captured dungeons… Other legends. 

They were interesting, but he wasn't quite sure if they could help with Asta's situation. Glancing at Gordon, maybe they should start discussing some of the things they so far studied about. 

Four years ago, a child was brought to this brigade with attached with a strange explanation. A weak boy… Quiet and dangerous. 

“But what should we call him?” Finral wondered. “He got to have a name, right…?”

Vanessa hummed.

“Say,” she started. “‘Anti.’ How does that sound?”

“Anti, as in his Anti-Magic?”

The young witch nodded. 

“Better than nothing… Right?”

During the second year, it was almost normal for Anti to suddenly attack Magna (and only Magna) out of nowhere. Finral realized that it was because he was copying Luck, who was showing his affection (?) through pranks and violence.

Anti became more comfortable in the brigade. Gauche took him to Nean every month to visit Marie.

“... S-since I’m royalty,” Noelle stuttered, fidgeting on her feet. After a shaky breath, the girl straightened her back and flipped back a pigtail. 

“I guess I have no choice but to look after you, as well!”

They hunted boars together, and then the old village got attacked. 

Old Man Seihi died, but everyone else survived. A celebration and farewell…

Finral nearly wanted to crumble down and hide. His hands were shaking uncontrollably, and the guilt was suffocating. 

Vanessa placed a gloved hand on his shoulder. Purple eyes were soft and understanding.

“Finral~ We’re in this together. Come on. Get up, alright?”

He sniffled, and he quickly wiped the back of his arm across closed eyes. 

“Y-yeah... Sorry—”

“Don’t apologize,” Noelle snapped, and Finral slammed his mouth shut. 

After a little, he nodded, and an awkward smile formed instead.

“... Thank you.”

This was the next step.

Turning around, Vanessa, by herself, made her way back her to hometown. 

_Open the door,_ she hollered.

_The greatest witch genius since the founding of this country has returned! I've got a little business here, so open up!!_

The Forest of Witches.

Life continued.

Langris threw up. He stared at the floor, and teal eyes were wide.

“... What the hell.”

Migraine pounding, he shook his head. It was a good thing that he was in his room, there was no one to see this...

It wasn’t like there was much in his stomach in the first place. He shivered.

This wasn’t good. He was Vice Captain, _so get a hold of yourself, Langris. You’re better than him._

He tried to force the tremble down.

A full minute passed. Langris sucked in a shaky breath.

_… Clean up. Got to clean up this mess._

Dragging his feet behind him, he tried searching for a rag or towel. 

…

(But all humans were evil.)

(Petty, dirty, and ugly.)

Shards of light.

(They were all disgusting.)

Fire was burning. There was nothing at his feet. What...

(“Latry!” Tiny footsteps ran past him. “I’m going to go see Licht. I heard he came back from one of his adventures.”)

(“Sure. Suit yourself. Don’t trip over yourself looking for him though, haha. Last time was just so hilarious.”)

(A scrunched up face. “Geh. You didn’t have to mention that… Mom said we’re eating together, though.)

(“So come over when the sun’s going down. It’s Mom’s specialty.”)

… A family.

Eyes closing, the next morning, the noble quickly cleaned up the mess that was left from the previous night. Such a foul smell… For someone like himself to sleep on the floor. How unsightly.

Whatever.

Langris was always in the right, after all.

He had to be.

“Langris?” He turned around. Captain Vangeance.

“... I knocked earlier,” the older said with his cryptic smile. “Would you like to have breakfast?”

A small pause later, Langris nodded. He smiled as well.

“Of course. Let me first get ready... I’ll meet up with you later.”


	26. Initiative

“Do you suppose Fanzell would have any leads? He’s from Diamond. They might know things that we don’t, not to mention Domina and Mariella.”

“That’s possible… I think it’s worth a try. They’ve also been helping us investigate Asta’s Anti-Magic, so we could also ask them about that.”

“Should we bring Asta along? He might want to see Fanzell. It has been a while, after all, and considering everything that happened...”

Pausing for a moment, Finral hummed.

“As our mission, Asta is mainly under my watch, and as a Black Bull, he’s still your partner, Noelle,” he smiled. “It makes sense. If Asta’s alright with moving around, that is…”

Sensing a certain boy’s presence, the two turned around. Asta was standing there right before them, together with Nero, who was nested on the top of his head. 

Their gazes softened.

“... Looks like you’re ready to go, too…!”

* * *

Purple eyes spotted a boy sitting on the couch. Vanessa never saw him before, but there he was, sitting there as if nothing was amiss.

She was curious, of course, but there was something about his eyes that the young witch couldn’t describe. Something about it… Hurt. 

His entire existence felt so meek.

“... Hello,” the witch decided to greet. She wondered... Who was he?

Finral later came in with a bowl of gruel, and the gazes of the two Black Bulls met.

“O-oh! Vanessa,” Finral quickly smiled. “You came back from your mission.”

She nodded quietly. Glancing back to where the pale haired boy sat, Vanessa watched as Finral patiently gave spoonfuls to the child.

“He’s our mission,” Finral explained. “We’re primarily just supposed to look after him, along with finding any clues about his grimoire.”

“His grimoire?”

Finral nodded.

“It’s a… Special case. Oh! And, ehehe… Vanessa, could you... Help me out? Taking care of the boy, I mean.”

Blinking slowly, she smiled.

“Sure.”

The left hand of the nameless boy was gripped in a tight fist. He must be protecting something.

That was the feeling Vanessa got from him.

“If you want me to come back, I’ve got one condition: teach me Ancient Dispelling Magic!”

Ancient Magic. It was the sort of thing that held tremendous power, and those who could actually use it was unheard of. As a witch, Vanessa knew of its existence, and watching Vetto cast the spell ran a horrible chill down her back.

At the time, Vanessa did not realize that it was actually Ancient Curse Magic. The feel of the Third Eye’s mana was already menacing, but when Finral brought the news from Owen, she couldn’t say that she was surprised. 

Vetto of Despair, and then the third eye that was summoned on his forehead. For him to grow back his arm… Using a language that no one could understand. The Eye of the Midnight Sun really wasn’t your usual terrorist group. 

Shrouded in mystery, they were dangerous…

Just like the Queen of Witches.

The Queen was not pleased. Mana came in waves, and Vanessa swallowed dryly. 

_But don’t back down._

Her back remained straightened.

 _I won’t back down._

“The audacity… _You really are shameless, aren’t you._ ”

When Vanessa was a little girl, she was destined to be like a bird in a cage. Except the girl had escaped, breaking destiny’s path… And with that, Vanessa promised.

_Asta, your fate would change._

_I won’t let your destiny be riddled in pain!_

Within darkness, Vanessa heard voices. Darkness… When did everything turn black? Stirring awake, hazy eyes glanced up to where the light was. An awful headache was running in her head, but it was slowly calming down…

...

… Oh.

Memories were recollected, and Vanessa remembered the pain from the Queen's spells. No, she didn't even use a spell... Her magic was just that strong, after all. Vanessa was knocked out by the pure force of her majesty's mana.

And right now... Standing in front of her, as she had feared, was Asta.

Asta… There was Finral and Noelle, too. At the corner of her sight, Domina and Fanzell were spotted. Little Mariella wasn't here, but Code… She was a witch like herself. They probably came here with a similar idea…

…

Vanessa bit her bottom lip.

“Vanessa!” Noelle’s eyes immediately brightened the moment she realized the older was awake. “You’re—! Thank goodness—just, don’t worry us like that! What were you thinking, coming here alone? And what was that all about?! Becoming her slave for the rest of your life?! I’m royalty, explain yourself!”

“I… Uh…”

“Vanessa!” Finral squawked, and he looked extremely frantic. “You—what— _why_ —damn it, why did you—?!”

They were adorable, and while that thought was in her mind, Vanessa was slightly flustered as well. This was… This was the _Forest of Witches_ , for goodness sake. Outsiders were asking for death if they came here—!

She wanted to yell at them. She really did, but this heavy weight was in her heart, and instead a sob nearly escaped her throat.

Domina, who stood at the side with her husband, had a small smile on her lips. 

_… Damn it._

“I… I’ll explain, but first of all!” Vanessa quickly said, recollecting herself. The bruises riddled over her body was still aching in pain, but she tried to ignore it as much as she could. “What are you guys… And the Queen—”

“A temporary ceasefire,” Noelle explained. She was young, but Vanessa could see the hints of a commander within lavender pink eyes. She was really royalty… 

“The Eye of the Midnight Sun is attacking. They kind of already set the Forest on fire.”

Vanessa stared ahead.

She sputtered. “What—?!”

“And Diamond,” Fanzell quickly added. “So we struck a deal with the Queen.”

“A deal—that’s like striking a deal with the devil!”

Noelle narrowed her eyes. “And how’s that any different from what you were trying to do.”

Vanessa fell silent at that.

“That’s… You don’t know what I was trying to…”

Lavender pink eyes were deadpan. A miserable second later, Vanessa let go of an equally miserable sigh.

_You all are so…_

“Fine,” the young witch murmured, and she looked up to meet Noelle’s eyes. 

Noelle smiled.

Gazing up to where the Queen of the Witches stood, an apathetic look was within teal eyes. It was a gaze that was constantly present… Throughout Vanessa’s childhood, that was all she could remember. 

The indifference.

Vanessa’s heart hammered in her chest.

_But in the end, there was no way for her majesty to just…_

“So?” Noelle narrowed her eyes at the Queen. “Aren’t you going to heal him?”

Asta was standing silently beside his partner. His eyes were downcast as usual, and Nero was perched on the top of his head. Around him was their comrades and friends. Even though returning to this forest was just as dangerous for Domina, she still stood alongside them with her husband.

Vanessa felt something burning at the back of her eyes. 

“... Very well,” the Queen murmured. 

“That is if he first disable the Anti-Magic within his body. I cannot heal him otherwise.”

Everyone paused.

Anti… Magic?

Vanessa’s gaze drifted to the boy. Assuming that the others told her about Asta’s situation, there was still something… Odd.

His grimoire wasn’t open, so that power shouldn’t be…

… 

Huh?

Very slowly, Asta closed his eyes.

The moment the Queen’s grimoire flipped open, a red hue began emitting from the pages. Mana rippled, and the intensity of the Queen’s magic was revealed. Aside from Domina and herself, everyone else were taken off guard by her majesty’s display of power. The wrappings around Asta’s arms were removed, and magic blood vessels surrounded him. It happened so quickly, and...

Vanessa stared after him. A strange feeling lurked.

Heal…

_But Doctor Owen was able to, and I heard from the past dungeon conquest, Golden Dawn’s Mimosa also…_

_Was this because this was an ancient curse? So to heal that… It worked differently?_

The lack of knowledge pained her. 

_If only I knew more._

_I have to learn more._

“I’ve also made his body sturdier,” the Queen commented offhandedly. “He is physically stronger than before… Now, for your end of the deal.

“Show me what you can do.”

Her words scared Vanessa. Something was wrong.

But...

Gazing to where Asta stood, his arms were no longer discolored and bruised. They regained their former color, the limbs thin as usual, but… Vanessa watched as he tenderly gripped his hands into fists. After a little, he relaxed them, and then he did it again.

Dull green blinked.

Shaking a little, Vanessa suppressed the tremble that threatened to worsen. A weak chuckled reached her throat instead.

_I wanted to help you this time._

Feeling a bit resigned, the young witch smiled. 

_But I guess it’s fine this way, too._

* * *

The Forest had been burning for quite a while now. The Fire Spirit, Salamander… But Noelle had the means to extinguish such flames. Water Magic, what better time was there to have this attribute? 

“We will handle Diamond’s side,” Fanzell quickly said. “You four… Be careful, alright?”

According to Fanzell, Mariella had temporarily returned to Diamond. That was how they gained the intel regarding Diamond’s plans to invade the Forest, for the ailing king was desperate for immortality. 

The Queen of the Witches was an enigma, an existence that mysteriously lived across lifetimes. As Domina said, the Queen had extraordinary power… If anyone _known_ could break the curse on Asta’s arms, it might just be her. 

_Except that itself is a problem as well_ , Domina had warned. _Because frankly, the Queen is brutal!_

 _You can’t reason with her. Witches who live outside of the forest are considered as fugitives, like Vanessa and myself._ _To go there… And to go_ back _there, requires a lot of resolve._

Noelle was mad, of course. For Vanessa to run off on her own, not to mention the deal she tried to make with the Queen… It was just infuriating. 

_We all care about you, don’t you know?!_

But of course Vanessa knew. Just let Noelle fume a little before fully calming down. 

Right now, for unknown reasons, the Eye of the Midnight Sun came to attack this forest. A common enemy indeed, but most importantly, Asta.

Asta’s arms were healed. The curse got broken… And he was healed. That quickly, too, and Noelle couldn’t help but imagine everyone else’s faces once they should hear about this. The Queen’s power was intimidating of course, she even bothered to reinforce his body… While that itself was suspicious, seeing what kind of person the ruler of this country was, Noelle supposed they just had to take what they got. 

_Because Asta got healed._

_Asta got healed!_

_And thinking about that, perhaps Kahono and Kiato could be...!_

Glancing back to where Asta stood, he seemed to be faring well. There wasn’t much change in his demeanor, but! She could tell—by reading his ki. Noelle remembered what Kahono said before, how his body was strained. The strain... It almost seemed nonexistent now.

Asta was a lot more relaxed. Noelle was worried about the strain aspect of healing, but the Queen’s magic was indeed extraordinary. Someone this powerful was living in such a secluded place… A strong magic region no less. Noelle could only wonder what was the Queen of the Witches' angle. 

The ones they were against were two different forces: Diamond and the Eye of the Midnight Sun. They knew about Diamond’s impending attack on the Forest, and Noelle immediately recognized one of the soldiers that was shown in the Queen’s divination. Fanzell recognized him, too, and there was no doubt of it.

Mars. If they weren’t mistaken, he could be an ally. A fellow student of Fanzell, just like Asta...

Asta probably didn’t remember him back at the dungeon, and Noelle wasn't too sure about that guy either way (Mars nearly killed Asta, after all)… 

_But he was also the one who delivered_ that _._

_If it’s Fanzell facing him, then there’s no problem._

Noelle wasn’t sure why the Eye of the Midnight Sun was being hostile towards this neutral country. They were supposed to be a terrorist group against Clover, weren’t they? Their actions baffled her, and not to mention the fact that one of the Third Eye was here... Someone like Vetto. The thought itself was chilling, but they already fought Vetto before. The concept of despair… They fought against it. 

Fana of Hate, right?

No matter who it should be, no matter who was next, the Black Bulls would take them on.

They were Magic Knights, after all.

There were screams. Flying straight towards the terrorist forces, Noelle adjusted her hold on her wand. She still wasn't good at flying, so she shared a broom (or rather, a glorified tree branch) with Vanessa. Asta was with Finral.

The residents of the Forest were getting attacked. Some were even captured… Noelle could catch the looks on the Eye of the Midnight Sun lackeys’ faces. All she could see was ill intentions and malice, and it was disgusting. Pointing her wand ahead, the girl tried focusing her magic. 

And then Asta shot forward with his sword and whacked the lackey Noelle had her eyes on across the head.

... There was no remorse. Noelle, Finral, and Vanessa stared ahead, and a short second later, the royal girl quickly averted her attention to the fire and used her stored up magic to douse the flames. 

“... Good one, Asta!” Finral yelled, and Asta found himself back safely on the ground. 

He looked back up to them, and yes, it was comforting seeing their comrade back in action. Noelle nearly wanted to laugh.

“Haw haw haw,” a horrid-sounding laughter caught their attention. One of the terrorists… A higher ranking one? “This place has all sorts of fine slave girls! That takes care of tonight’s entertainment! Grab anyone who looks valuable and take them with you! These witches excel in magic, so they’ll make great slaves!”

Finral and Vanessa stared at the terrorist. 

They stared at him, and without hesitation, the Spatial Magic user shot his hand forward as the young witch pulled her threads.

Mana rippling right behind the disgusting excuse of a human, the Anti-Magic blade hovered right above the man’s head.

“ _TAKE THAT!_ ” Finral and Vanessa yelled together, and Noelle was happy for their spirits’ return.

Among everyone, lavender pink saw how those two in particular were especially down, feeling helpless at the news of Asta’s arms.

Noelle remembered how they all cheered for her back at Raquey. With that in mind, she almost took it for granted… The way they smiled.

* * *

_Licht… That person. Is he a human?_

Licht smiled—it was his happy smile, the one he would have whenever he got giddy to talk about something.

_Yes… He is my friend…!_

Licht introduced his friend to everyone else. To her… And Vetto and Rhya. The human’s eyes were very blue, kind of like the sky, and his hair… It was silky and blonde. She wanted to try patting his head. He let her with a cheerful laugh.

His clothes were also strange. Human clothes… Were they?

_I’m positive that this will become a world where our peoples can live side by side, as friends._

Licht’s hand was linked with Tetia’s, and Tetia’s brother continued. He felt genuine, Licht’s friend...

Lumiere.

_We’ll be able to understand each other!_

But only _that human_ knew where this place was, and Licht’s face was scrunched with disbelief and confusion and terror. This was supposed to be a happy day. This really was supposed to be…

_Everyone! This way, quick!_

Fana yelled as she tried to guide the others to safety. 

Everyone was screaming. _Humans, humans. It was them._

_It's a lie._

Licht screamed, and everyone was dying around him. He screamed, reaching out for the others, and Fana watched from the ground, her sight blurred and breathing unsteady.

Something stabbed her straight through the chest. Again and again.

The sky was red... Very red. Shards of light rained down where rain should have been, and that day, Fana knew hate.

_We will retrieve all of the magic stones, and the horrible humans will meet their demise._

_No one will be able to hurt us again._

Fana… That was right. That was her name. She was Fana… And Licht and the others were her brethren, her family.

The girl blinked slowly, and she stared down to her hands.

She felt very small. There was this pain in her chest, and it continued to her head. 

_Fa...na…_

Pink eyes. An expression crumbling down in tears… Broken breaths, crying.

Ah, that was right.

Flames burst into life as she placed a weak hand on the crying boy’s cheek. Phoenix fire… It could heal him.

He was so familiar. So familiar… He was.

_You…_

_I know you._

_Please wait._

_I will…_

_Try to make it go away._

_Your pain._

_I’ll try to remember…_

_Who you are._

_And who I am._

_So please wait, okay?_

Gazing ahead, Mars kept his lips pressed in a thin line. Diamond’s aim was the key to immortality, but Mars had another objective in mind. He glanced at Ladros, and then pink eyes turned back towards the forest. Fire burned ferociously… Relentlessly. The boiling mana from the third party.

And then...

 _Teacher,_ he thought to himself. _You’re here, right?_


	27. Images of Today

All he could remember was her face. He hated her face the most. Gripping tighter on the blue crystal, his only hint to “home,” he became more frustrated. Upset. 

“Tell us about it," jolting at the words, uncertain green met bright teal. 

"And then you can choose if you want to let go.”

...

“... Let go?”

Fana nodded. 

“Not the crystal you’re holding, of course,” his eyes widened at her statement, “but the feelings that are weighing you down. _Are_ there anything weighing you down?”

Before he could answer, Zell called for the students to continue their training. He was now left alone at his usual spot by the stone pillar, and he stared after them.

After a little, he gazed up towards the sky. 

… Trusting was hard.

Believing was difficult.

* * *

Earlier that day, Fanzell did not expect to be blown away by Noelle’s notorious Water Magic. Not to mention in his own house... It happened so suddenly, and he could confirm again. Clover’s royalty was really in another league. 

Noelle was powerful. 

That, and… He was also blown away by the revelation of why the Black Bulls came in the first place. 

He was happy to see Asta again, very much so, but...

A chill ran down his back. Blue eyes couldn’t help but drift to where his young student sat, and something akin to guilt threatened to grow. Asta’s arms were wrapped securely across his chest, and the implications… They were there.

 _Ancient Curse Magic_ , they said. Fanzell heard of such a thing before, but to have someone being _able_ to use it was unheard of. A horrible feeling swelled. Who in the world would do such a thing to a boy like him? 

Anger boiled.

“He wanted us to despair,” Noelle explained. “The one we were against.”

... Despair.

Fanzell’s frown deepened.

_That's just..._

“But that means he acknowledged Asta as well,” Domina’s statement came in as a surprise. 

Fingers woven together, she smiled gently.

“Your opponent didn’t think of him as a cripple, for one, so look at it differently. A test of strength… Or perhaps an opportunity? It’s harsh, but there is still this one thing, and maybe something will change.

“All magic can be undone. Don’t forget that, for it’s a golden rule~!”

Their gazes were then filled with solid determination, a certain conviction. With that sight in mind… It wasn’t right for Fanzell to feel this way then, right? He nearly smiled.

The Black Bulls continued to impress him. Throughout these years… He did hear rumors about them. A strange reputation; not exactly bad, but not exactly pristine. They were the odd ones out of Clover’s Magic Brigades. 

_I’m glad Asta was with them all this time._

...

Years ago, Fanzell wasn’t able to support the nine-year-old child who he stumbled upon, trapped in Diamond’s sick darkness. Even though the boy hadn’t been there for a long time, he still left a big impression on the Wind Magic user. 

_This time was different, however,_ Fanzell thought, and he would make sure of it. 

So headed towards the Diamond invasion force with the force of wind, blue eyes turned stern. The irony… Last time he had been here, he was a commander of the Diamond army. He first encountered Domina then, for it was a scouting mission to find out more about the Forest of Witches.

Meeting Domina… It wasn’t exactly a first sight in love, nor was it anything romantic. Dominante Code, who was injured and furious, had grabbed the cloth of his collar and yelled at his face:

_You. Take me away from this place._

The rest was history.

He gazed at the approaching army. The rest was indeed history.

Wind shifting, he called about his blade. Emperor of Slashing Winds… Or Slash, for short. He felt a bit bad to still harbor doubts, but Fanzell really wasn’t in a position for mistakes right now. Diamond’s revolution was also at risk, so until he could strongly confirm it...

 _Mars,_ he thought. 

_Are you an ally?_

Because according to Noelle, he nearly killed Asta. Diamond was notorious for their inhumane experimentations, and Mariella even fetched information on those very projects. Diamond’s strongest weapon… How likely was it for Mars to return to being himself? Especially during this short time frame? 

Asta probably didn’t recognize him. It took him a while to recognize Fanzell as well, so that was understandable. But for Mars to smuggle a blade that had uncanny resemblance to the boy’s Anti-Magic sword… 

That ought to mean something, right?

There were pulses of intense mana from the otherside of the Forest. Fixing his hold on his sword, Fanzell took in a steady breath.

_… Please be alright._

* * *

The fire was scorching. It was nearly endless, and Noelle’s confidence began to waver. At this rate, even if she kept trying to douse these flames… Mana would run out. 

_If that’s the case, then I’ll have to get rid of the source first, right?!_

Turning on her heels, she ran. There were screaming and sounds of explosions, and if Noelle were to describe it: it was chaotic. 

_There!_

The Fire Spirit, Salamander, flew down and threw a talon. Focusing her mana, Noelle summoned her Sea Dragon’s Lair, water torrents pulling up and protecting her comrades.

“Noelle!” Finral yelled in surprise, and the royal girl quickly got to their side. 

“Pay attention,” she quickly yelled back, and the feel of the Third Eye’s ki and mana was intimidating, “it’s not over yet!”

But now what? 

“My threads would immediately burn up if they got too near her,” Vanessa said with a wary tone. “Finral, your Spatial Magic is also unsteady, too, right?”

Finral nodded. “It takes everything trying to open a gate… The mana currents are very unsteady.”

“If anything, we’ll have to do something about Salamander, no?” Noelle held her wand tightly. “The entire Forest’s burning up, and my Sea Dragon’s Lair is evaporating!”

“Noelle,” Vanessa yelled, “get on the broom!” 

They quickly flew out before the Fire Spirit crushed them all. Hot air pressed against their bodies, Noelle took in a shuddering breath. On the Fire Spirit was one of the Third Eye, and while she did not seem as intense as Vetto, her magic was no joke at all.

_But compared to last time, I’m not as scared._

_Sea Dragon’s Roar. Can I do it?_

_But I’ll have one chance, and my mana… It will be depleted. And after that, I won't be able to..._

( _You can't do it_ , something whispered in her ear. _You'll never be able to._ )

Cold sweat tried to break out, but instead, Noelle glanced over her shoulder.

She spotted Asta. It was purely by accident. She wasn’t meaning to look at him, but rather the flames behind them… But Asta was with Finral right now, and his eyes…

While they were still dull and lifeless, Noelle was reminded of Kahono and the beaches of Raquey. Lights float when Kahono would sing...

The gentlest, most relaxing memory. 

_You don’t have to force yourself too hard,_ Kahono told her through her magic. It was before they left the Underwater Temple, and their foreheads touching, Noelle held back a sob. _But I’m happy. Thank you._

_Let’s accomplish all of our goals and dreams, yes?_

Wand raised, Noelle carefully focused her senses. 

Months ago, the young royal bought a certain brooch from Domina back at Kikka’s black market. It was to help her control her mana, and while it was an eventful and extremely chaotic experience, the brooch ended up becoming the crystal on her wand.

It gave her courage.

Ki reading… And then mana detection. 

_There._

_Water Creation Magic:_

_Sea Dragon’s Roar!_

The roaring dragon soared through the air. Natural mana stirred, and empty teal eyes turned wide. A blast of fire, Salamander dodged…

She pulled on her control.

“I’m not done yet!”

The water dragon turned, and it surged forth. 

A blast. Hot air hit them again, but this time with steam. Salamander was falling with the Third Eye’s Fana, and Noelle took a deep breath.

“The attack stunned him!” Finral yelled. “Now’s our only chance, Asta!”

Asta’s grimoire flipped open, and the familiar ominous power began to flood out of the tome. But before that, something cracked, and—

There were crystals.

Lavender pink eyes stared ahead. Eyebrows furrowing, something akin to confusion struck her.

Because… Crystals.

She was suddenly back at the dungeon with Luck and Asta. Remembering the gripping sense of danger from that day, a heavy armor of mineral had dragged its feet towards them. Blast after blast of water Noelle had sent… Nothing could stop him. Noelle couldn't stop him.

Crystals… _Crystals?_

“Wha—” Finral was stunned at her display of magic. Salamander was distorting, and it was beginning to grow bigger...

A mage could only have one attribute. But then again, that Mars…

Didn’t he have something similar?

She distantly remembered how that mage’s grimoire looked like. The cover was strange… Like a patchwork. Klaus had held it after the Diamond Mage’s first defeat, so she saw it before.

“Die…” Fana bit out. “All of you, I hate you…!”

Small daggers made out of minerals formed. That was the same attack that sliced across Asta’s torso, or more precisely, his stomach. They shot forth, and Vanessa quickly maneuvered the broom to avoid them accordingly. 

Vanessa winced at the next wave of heat. “The mana is intensifying… How do we even get closer…?” 

Noelle’s heart was beating quickly. This heat… Similar to Raquey’s constant warm temperatures. 

Mana.

 _And_ that _… Doesn’t it absorb magic?_

Turning back, Noelle tried to find Finral and Asta. She found them, and then she yelled:

“Asta! That other sword, the one Fanzell got you!”

Asta seemed to catch her message. Grimoire flipping to the next page, the blade that they should’ve gotten back at the dungeon emerged. A healthy hand grabbed it, and the boy drew out the sword. Fanzell had given it to them before they left for the Forest. 

_Either way, Anti-Magic swords… He could dispel the magic and even absorb it, right? We still don’t quite know how the other one works, but…_

_It’s still worth a try!_

Yet before anything happened, Asta seemed to pause. Another blast of fire came charging at them, and Finral quickly turned away the broom to dodge. The flames barely reached them, and…

“Poor Vetto,” Fana murmured. “You people keep hurting us, how could you?

“Why do you hurt us? I hate you. I won’t ever forgive you.”

A third eye.

Just like Vetto’s.

“I’ll kill you, I’ll massacre all of you.”

Flames like a cloak formed around Fana. The injuries she sustained from the previous attacks slowly vanished, and once again, Noelle recognized that spell. 

Hovering before her was her grimoire. Lavender pink gaze landed on it, and despite the searing heat, the temperature around her seemed to plummet mercilessly.

A patchwork cover… Empty of any symbol.

“I won’t let you hurt us, never again…!”

* * *

Are _there anything holding you down?_

_... Um, sorry about Fana. But… If you want to talk, or feel the need to… You can talk about it. Everyone here… Maybe we could relate, I guess._

_Can I trust you?_

_That is up to you to decide. Whether or not I am trustworthy… Whether others are as well._

_But no matter what you choose in the end…_

Encounters and partings are really just two sides of the same coin.

Absorption and Emission. An artificially made attribute. 

_If you want something, take it._ That was how Diamond did things, and Fanzell hated it. 

“I’ll ask you one more time. Will you turn back?”

Ladros made a hum, and then he laughed.

“ _Like anyone would actually turn back!_ I want to slaughter tons of people, and isn’t this weird, Teach?! You raise murder weapons like us, and _then_ you show up again after all this time, thinking you can live as a good guy?! Seriously?!”

When Ladros was younger, he was terribly small and self-conscious. He got scared very easily, and he had a complex about his lack of magic attribute. But it was also because of that, did he try to approach Asta and befriend him, just like Fana and Mars.

But Ladros changed, and Fanzell wanted to apologize. 

_To atone. I will defeat you here._

The Diamond forces broke apart. Witches followed behind Domina, and the Forest was shielded against their enemies. His wife was capable and strong-willed… Mariella should be working hard, too, alongside their comrades who were across the border.

Over here, Fanzell would face his past. 

Except…

_Except._

How could this be? 

Fanzell’s strongest spell didn’t do anything to Ladros. A smile that didn’t belong was on his former student’s face, and a twisted feeling stirred at the bottom of the ex-commander’s stomach. 

_This was bad. This was very bad._

Absorption and Emission. An artificially made attribute. 

_Magic Scholar Morris, what did you do to these children?!_

“You didn’t happen to bring anybody special to this forest, did you, Teach~? If you did, you’d probably better go save ‘em, right?”

_Domina._

Ladros’ smile widened. 

“Boom.”

… Fanzell Kruger had a lot of regrets. He led armies in the name of Diamond, and his motivation quickly dwindled. What was he even fighting for? For whom? The villages were all ravaged. More children were orphaned. 

For whom, indeed…

Hand reached out, Fanzell could tell that this portion of the forest was basically obliterated. Even Diamond’s forces… Ladros took almost everyone out. Almost...

Domina stared at him with wide eyes. Wind was swirling around her.

“Z-Zell…”

Fanzell held back any cry of pain. 

“Do...mina… Run…!”

Ladros yanked her up by the cloak. 

“So you’re Teach’s special person? Man, I’m jealous~ Hm? Oh wait, I remember you! You’re that girlfriend who ran off with him! How’ve ya been?”

The horrible feeling continued to grow, and Fanzell tried to drag himself forward. 

_Ladros, you were kind and hard working._

“Stop…” 

_You should be using your magic to do right… Not like this…!_

Helplessness.

It weighed heavy in his heart.

The inability to help the young boy who was stuck in foreign lands, the inability to help his students who all were taken away again and again…

The inability to help Domina, who was right there in front of him—!

Their eyes met. Domina’s and his. 

...

_How do you imagine the future?_

Protecting others… A world of peace and happiness.

_Do you think we can still continue on like this?_

A world where they could support each other, instead of needing to attack each other…!

_Please._

Domina was thrown into the air, Fanzell _screamed_ —

There was a shadow.

Looking up, a colossal sword made out of minerals sliced apart the spell that was meant to kill his significant other. 

…

Oh.

 _Oh_.

Laevateinn.

* * *

The blazing sun was raised above Diamond’s children. Diligently looking after his students, the young instructor called them all to gather around. Even though it was humid, the sky was still very blue. Relaxing, it felt.

“Listen up! Your power exists to protect others. Don’t ever forget that!”

His students all nodded with a sparkle of light.

“Yes!”

Mars looked ahead calmly as he stood in front of his teacher. His teacher’s precious person was safely in his arms, and Laevateinn hovered by.

“My teacher’s lesson got through me,” he commented. “My power exists to protect others.”

Ladros stared at him.

He stared at him, and...

“Haha, Mars… What’s this all about, big guy?”

“There is no need for unnecessary killing. Our target is the Witch Queen.”

“That’s a load of half-baked crap. They’re traitors who defected from the kingdom, did you forget? They could even be part of that rumored ‘revolution.’ Letting them go means betraying Diamond.”

“You’re right.”

“... So. You’re betraying the kingdom?”

“I suppose that is what it means. Yes.”

Ladros only stood there some more, staring at his supposed-to-be-comrade in silence. After a little, he bent down a bit, and then a small laugh escaped from his throat.

“ _Wow. Such good news._ ”

He began laughing harder, and a hysterical grin was thrown into the air. 

“Mars, _Mars!_ HEY, I GET TO KILL YOU _LEGALLY_ , NOW!”

Ladros’ Million Laser began to concentrate and discharge. Quickly bending down to get his teacher back on his feet, Mars and the other two dashed to get out of the way. 

“You were always in the way! So cool and collected, ever since we were kids! You were the guy who could do everything _perfectly_ ! And ooh, I knew you were bound to get in the way as I aim for the top. Who _knew_ I’d get to off you here?! Both you and dear old Teach! This is great—I’m _loving_ it!”

“Teacher,” Mars pushed the woman he saved into the other’s arms. “Stay attentive.”

Bringing his arm down, a barrage of crystals immediately formed and shot towards Ladros. What made it hard to fight Ladros was the fact his body could absorb magic, but as long Mars could manipulate his crystals so that it wouldn’t hit him _directly_ , these attacks could be used as a good distraction.

_It would take more time to absorb and charge up._

_And that means… More time for us._

“As expected of our great Mars,” Ladros chuckled as he stooped forward. “Shall I take your awesome magic as well?”

Pink eyes glancing back to where Fanzell and his wife was, Mars raised up his hand.

_Flame Recovery Magic: Phoenix Robe._

His teacher’s eyes widened at the familiar magic that clad itself on him. Because his wife was near enough, the flames would heal her as well. 

“Mars, you—”

“I’ll explain everything later in detail,” Mars said calmly. Forming crystals under his and his teacher’s feet, he began maneuvering the magic so they could move quicker across this forest. As a safety measure, another blast of crystals was sent at Ladros’ way.

“He’s nearly invincible, but there are still a couple of ways that might defeat him. One is to feed him until it overwhelms his capacity and shorts him out. Spirit Magic or the Queen’s magic might be able to do that. The other option is…” He carefully glanced at his teacher.

“Anti-Magic.”

Fanzell’s eyes widened at that. 

“You—Mars,” the older quickly tried to catch his breath, “that boy. Do you remember him?”

Mars nodded. “I do… After meeting him, I regained my memories. So Teacher met him?”

“That’s—yes, I did. You… You knew about the revolution, that it’s based at Clover. That’s why you sent the sword over, because the Magic Knights… You met him at that dungeon.”

Mars nodded again.

Relief was all that was in his teacher’s eyes. Fanzell looked like he was ready to break down and just… Cry. 

But he wouldn’t right now. It wasn’t the right time, and Mars understood.

“Asta’s here,” Fanzell stated. “At the other side of the Forest. His name is Asta, Mars.”

Blinking slowly, Mars glanced back at his teacher. 

“... Not ‘Anti?’”

Shaking his head, Fanzell made a small laugh. “Not ‘Anti.’”

“What are you two gossiping over there~?!” Ladros yelled after them as he continued to send over his lasers. “No matter what strategy you throw together, it’ll be no use~!”

Abruptly turning around, Mars and Fanzell charged straight forward, extending a palm with Reinforcement Magic. Launching Ladros away into the skies, Fanzell quickly had his wife go to safety with the promises of staying alive. 

_Let’s lead Ladros to the other side, now…!_

Ladros continued to chase after them. The closer they get to the other side of the forest, the more Mars could sense the intense magic being emitted there. It must be the other force that was invading… Clover’s terrorist group, right?

“What power,” beads of sweat were rolling down Fanzell’s face. “Is that Salamander? With that, maybe…”

Mars furrowed his eyebrows. “We could also try the first option, then…”

_But why does that magic feel so…_

Flame Magic was building up. Was Salamander going to release an attack? The other people down there—Mars recognized the robes. The Black Bulls...

“Asta!” Fanzell suddenly yelled, and Mars caught sight of the smaller boy. “Hit it over here!”

Salamander roared, and the attack came shooting straight towards the boy. Wielding the larger Anti-Magic blade, Asta turned on his feet and whacked the blast of fire. The trajectory was changed. It was now headed towards them in highspeeds—

Fanzell manipulated the wind and pushed both himself and Mars away. 

Ladros blinked.

“Huh?”

Salamander’s flames engulfed his entire body.

* * *

“What was that?!” One of the Black Bulls squawked. “What _was_ that?!”

Feet set on the ground, Mars and Fanzell approached what Mars assumed their allies. Fanzell was sheepishly scratching the back of his next, and…

“So you’re really on our side,” the silver haired one stated coolly. Mars recognized her… Kind of.

… Well. Then again, he _did_ attack them, back when he was brainwashed, so...

Glancing to where Asta stood, he met the younger boy’s gaze. Green eyes were very blank, and seeing him again… Mars was sure. He was really that boy from years ago.

“... Asta, huh,” Mars murmured, and his attention snapped back to the flaring mana signature.

Salamander...

“Ladros got defeated, his magic disappeared… But right now, we have to put that monster down,” Fanzell quickly said, and everyone looked back to where the Flame Spirit stood. Mars never saw Salamander before, but he heard about it a lot… The Magic Scholar was very interested in all sorts of magic, and—

Mars paused.

...

… That person over there.

She…

…

Huh?

Something hit the bottom of his stomach.

… They didn’t have families. There was nothing else, so they had to do this. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t painful. Everyday hurt… And sometimes, it was just suffocating. Unbearable.

A smaller him sobbed, and Fana noticed. She always did...

_Mars? Did the training hurt?_

Ears turning red, he tried to hide his tears.

_N-no, it didn’t! It didn’t hurt._

Teal eyes blinking slowly, Fana smiled.

_You don’t have to hide in front of us, y’know._

_When things are hard, let’s think of the faces of the people we like! We were born to protect the people of this country!_

Fana was cheerful and strong. She had this air that pulled him in, and…

The first face that Mars thought of was hers.

And the face of that woman, there was no doubt of it.

“Fana?”

Mars shook.

“ _Fana?!_ ”

Fanzell jumped at his sudden yell, and blue eyes later widened at the woman’s form. He recognized her, too, and a sudden outburst of _something_ grasped Mars’ soul.

Because _Fana_.

Fana was right _there_ , and she was _alive_. Clad in destructive flames, she was _alive_.

“Fana, it’s me! Don’t you recognize me?!” Fana drew back, and Mars became more desperate. “It’s me, Mars!”

She looked confused. There was another eye on her forehead, and teal eyes… They weren’t teal. They were red and void of light. 

“I… I don’t know you, stay away...!”

The eye was emitting a strange power. Magic… Some sort of spell?

“Fana!”

“Just—go away! All of you… I hate… Just… Disappear…!”

Flames intensified, and something strange rippled. The Black Bulls seemed to recognize it, however.

“Self-destruction…?! Not again, what’s with those Third Eyes and that option?!”

“It isn’t good—at this rate, this entire area’s gonna be blown away!”

Fire rained down from Salamander. The flames were bright, scorching, and Mars’ throat cried for water. 

_But Fana_.

“... Nn...” Asta stirred beside him. Pink eyes widening, Mars turned to gaze at him.

“Asta…?”

The boy was wielding both swords. The sword he originally had… And the one Mars smuggled across the border. 

After regaining his memories, Mars found out about the revolution. Lotus gave him a tip about that, and while it took quite a bit of time, he began stealthily saving lives. Mars thought he could make amends to Fana, who he thought he killed. It was the least he could do as he continued to live...

Mars was not sure why Asta behaved so differently from what he remembered of him. If he wasn’t mistaken, however, the boy might just be like himself. 

After the final test, Magic Scholar Morris brainwashed Mars and modified his body. Was the same done to that boy, who was always left alone at the side of training?

Mars calmed down. 

He looked back to where Fana cowered, and... 

… If… 

If he could use his magic to protect.

_Flame Recovery Magic: Phoenix Robe._

“Asta, can you hear me?” Mars began. “We’re headed towards Fana. You remember Fana… I know you do.

“Your Anti-Magic will be able to do something about the self-destruction. And I… Let’s save Fana, okay? I’ll be right by your side. Let’s go.”

He took a step forward. Asta followed.

The heat was suffocating. Painful… But the pain was nothing compared to Fana’s. 

_Fana_.

Small embers flickered as the girl placed a hand on the smaller boy’s shoulder. Green eyes were wide as the pain dulled down to an ache. 

Warm flames… 

Mars took another step forward, and they began running faster. Scorching flames were burning away the cloth that hung on their bodies, and Asta's Black Bull robe quickly reduced into ashes.

“Stay… Away…!”

_I won’t._

“Get away from me… Go away!”

_I won’t._

_I won’t leave you all alone, anymore._

Fire intensified, and it began turning white. Asta surged forth and cut down the fire that enveloped Fana. Anti-Magic worked. The self-destruction spell was nullified.

It died down. It died down, and—

“ _Our hatred won’t disappear. It will… Never! Not today, not ever!_ ”

Darkness seethed, and the world seemed to be breaking. For her… And for himself. It was painful, watching. So much hate... The misery...

Mars hugged Fana. 

Their flames joined, and Fana’s magic became one again. 

“Fana...!" He yelled out. "It’s me! It’s me… And I’m sorry! I’m truly sorry! I didn’t have the strength to fight by your side, and because of that, so many things went wrong! I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”

Guilt and regret poured out. It flooded, and Mars hugged her tighter. Fana was barely struggling, but the flames were still burning and hot.

“We’ve met in the outside world. We’ve met, but we haven’t begun yet! Nothing started yet, Fana!”

They could've been together. They could've fought together. They could've walked together, and it hurt. It really did. Mars wanted to cry. Everything hurt.

 _Fana_.

“Let’s go see the outside world together!”

...

Dull green watched. Everyone watched.

Something changed, and the ominous magic was beginning to break apart. It happened quickly... But slowly all the same. 

Pink was met with bright and kind teal eyes.

Fana smiled.

“Mmhm,” she began, and...

_Go see the outside world for me._

“It’s a promise, Mars...!”

...

Choking back a sob, Mars smiled back.

"... Of course...!"

Love was restored.

Trusting was hard.

Believing was difficult.

But in the end… He still wanted to try. Believing them. Trusting them.

“Can I trust you?” His voice was quiet. Too quiet. He had an impression that he used to yell loudly, but he couldn’t really remember that. It hurt thinking about it. Looking up, green met the other’s blue eyes.

Zell looked surprised.

“... That is up to you to decide,” the older began, and after a hesitant second, he continued. “Whether or not I am trustworthy… Whether others are as well. But no matter what you choose in the end, encounters and partings are really just two sides of the same coin.”

As the Wind Magic user continued talking, he began looking more confident in his words. His gaze had drifted to the horizon, and the younger could tell he was putting a lot of thought in what he was saying. _A lot_. Tiny hands gripped the blue crystal tighter.

“Life is a series of coincidences. We have to appreciate the people we meet… No matter the good or bad. To give a brighter look on the things we have no control of… And then potentially, do something about the things we deemed unfair.”

After an awkward shuffle, Zell tried smiling. He felt so _real_ , and Asta wanted to cry.

“I hope that made some sense...!”

 _It did_ , Asta thought.

_Thank you. I’m sorry._

Hiccuping, he frantically tried to wipe away the tears that bubbled down his cheeks.

 _Even though I want to trust you, even though I_ know _I can trust you…_

All Asta could remember was her face. He couldn’t remember anything else aside from her face. He hated her face.

But despite being a hallucination, some twisted spell made by some person, she was still so important to him. No matter how much he hated her, she was still _important_. The companion who had been with him… Whenever he felt so alone.

A gentle beat later, Zell's eyes softened.

“... That’s alright, as well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edit: 12/3/2020 minor corrections.


	28. Revelations

It was warm. Tears trailing down to his chin, Mars couldn’t help but continue to smile. 

This wasn’t a dream. Fana was smiling as well. 

“Mars… Fana,” at the sound of their teacher’s voice, Fana’s eyes widened.

“Master Fanzell—!” 

Both students were pulled into a tight hug.

Fanzell had a lot on his plate, so reuniting with his students must mean a lot. The burden that accumulated for the last few years… Among everything he wanted to atone for. Noelle smiled at the heartwarming sight. 

_I’m glad you two survived,_ was the thought within the former instructor’s mind.

“Oh!” Fanzell drew back. “That’s right... Fana, do you remember—”

He gestured at Asta, and—

“Asta?!” Fanzell and Mars paused. Staring after the Flame Magic user as she ran up to the younger, the two continued to gape at her as she went off asking the boy of his well being.

“You… My goodness,” she spotted the scars that riddled his half-naked body. The flames from her previous self-destructive state had nearly burnt everything off. “Asta, you… I don’t remember much of what happened, but you never appeared again… Mars had thought something was off, and I was so worried…!”

Tearing up a little, no-longer-evil Fana sniffled. “Asta…”

Fanzell and Mars continued to stare.

“... Uh, Fana,” Mars began, and Fana turned around with a small hum. There were little tears gathering before she wiped them away. “You… You knew his name?”

Teal eyes blinked owlishly.

“Yes…? Asta told me when I asked one day, but he said to not tell you guys…” She gasped. “Oh no! I’m so sorry, Asta! I didn’t mean to—!”

Asta blinked, and then there was silence. A small, worried frown found itself on Fana’s lips.

Finral took a sheepish step forward. “Um… We all know his name now, so it’s alright! You don’t have to worry.”

“O-oh!” Fana sighed in relief. “That’s… I see.”

She smiled.

“I see.”

No-longer-evil Fana was really chill and relaxed. It was a really stark difference with the former Fana, and with that, Noelle would definitely choose this one over the other without a second thought. Glancing at their Diamond friend, Noelle could see how Fanzell still looked super shocked by the fact that Fana knew Asta’s name all along. 

Then again, he nearly got slaughtered by the Black Bulls back when they first met him… 

Noelle smiled.

Fana came from Diamond. Like Mars and Asta, she was a student of Fanzell, and apparently, after this “final test,” her memories came to a pause. The Black Bulls present were all aware of the experimentations that were conducted in the Diamond Kingdom. Fanzell told them a little bit about it as well, and it was chilling... Children were being made into weapons in Diamond, and Mars was the product of one of those projects. 

It really explained a lot about his behavior back at the dungeon. Apparently, after fighting Asta, he had regained his sense of self and memories.

“After that point… I don’t remember anything,” Fana said slowly. Eyebrows furrowed, she continued. “It’s… It felt as if someone else entered my body, like I was being controlled. What I _do_ remember is that person’s fierce hatred.

“That hatred… It was intense in a way that was saddening.”

Mars’ face soured. Glaring down to his feet, his fists trembled.

The emotions he was going through right now… They were probably similar to the Black Bulls’ when they learned of Asta’s cursed arms. Noelle could empathize, Finral and Vanessa even more so.

“You went through all of that…? I didn’t know a thing, and I…”

“Mars! You don’t have to feel bad about anything, we still met again in the end, so...!”

“... Right,” reaching out, the Diamond Mage held the other’s shoulders firmly. “And I’ll never let you go, no matter what.”

Asta was staring at the two rather intently. An awkward beat later, both of their faces flushed with a tint of red.

“That being said!” Vanessa began. “The Eye of the Midnight Sun… I assume you don’t remember much about it, but… I still wonder. Why attack the Forest? I thought their main goal was against Clover, so...”

“... About that,” rubbing the side of her head, Fana frowned. “There’s… There’s still this intense thought in my mind.”

“A thought?” Mars blinked. Fana nodded.

“Something about… A ‘magic stone?’”

A magic stone.

Vanessa, Finral, and Noelle all jolted at the statement. A magic stone… A _magic stone_?! 

“That’s—we need to go see the Queen immediately!”

“No, before that,” Fanzell quickly cut in, “we have to go check on the injured. There still might be enemies out there, and…” 

A sensation. Finral caught it first.

“This ki—”

Looking over his shoulder, time slowed down.

Millions of lasers were right at their faces.

“— _RUN!_ ”

The world blew up.

* * *

“Man, that was so crazy,” Ladros stepped out of the shadows with a silly smile. “I really thought I was going to die. But wow, though.

“Why does every one of you put your lives on the line to protect others, huh?”

The flimsy mineral armor was collapsing.

Just earlier, it was as if the world around them was blowing up in a consecutive manner. Even before that, Fana woke up from what seemed to be a long nightmare, and now she had finally returned to reality. 

And reality was Mars protecting her, his back completely exposed, and...

“Mars…!” Fana was scared and confused and tired. She couldn’t seem to muster up any energy, and lying underneath her most precious person, everything around her was becoming more and more bewildering. Her head hurt. Her heart was pounding so quickly.

Magic began building up in a palm. Smiling lazily, Ladros extended his hand forward.

Ladros… As in Ladros, who was a fellow student like Mars and herself.

“You’re super strong, Mars~ But see, this makes it easier for me to kill you, y’know!”

Fana shook her head.

“No, stop…!”

_My phoenix flames, I have to cast it. Mars is going to die, he’s going to die—!_

A cold chill.

_I can’t cast anything._

Before the attack reached them, Fana had braced for the worst. Old habits came into life, and she remembered the pain from all the training with the Magic Scholars. The absent pain from the experimentations, and everything she didn’t really want to remember.

Except the attack never hit. 

It was slashed apart... Negated.

 _… Is that your ability?_ Fana remembered that Asta had no mana. He was a strange boy unlike the others, and that sword in his hand… That dirty-covered grimoire hovering close. Asta’s grimoire…

Fana tried to get her magic to work. Mars had long fallen unconscious, and now Fana was trapped under the weight of her precious person.

“As...ta…!”

“... Hm?” Ladros squinted. “Wait… You look familiar. Aren’t you…” 

His eyes widened. “Oh! _That_ kid, I remember you! You were kinda like me, except worse… Ah, I don’t know your name. Asta, they called you? Was that it?”

Asta, whose eyes were eerily blank, remained impassive. Fana remembered how Asta would talk with her in the past. He was shy and withdrawn, but now… 

It wasn’t the same. Not even similar.

 _So much time has passed,_ she realized. _Nothing is the same._

It came to Fana that she hadn’t been existing until this very moment. Almost half a decade was taken away from her, and Mars and Asta... They grew up. Master Fanzell was older. Ladros was different. These strange clothes on her body and the weird thoughts in her head... This dreadful sensation.

Fana tried to get a better look of the battlefield. 

_Asta._

His friends were all littered across the ground. Fana hadn’t even learned their names. 

_Asta, what now?_

Ladros was always very strong. He didn’t have an attribute, but he had a lot of magic power. That attack from earlier… Fana began cracking under the pressure.

Her magic really wasn’t working. The phoenix flames weren’t coming out.

Hugging Mars’ body tightly, Fana tried to get up. She couldn’t, and teal eyes landed to where Asta stood.

_I don’t think there’s any need to teach you either way._

There was a certain way he controlled this power. Instinctual, it was… The hostile man was still saying something, but Asta didn’t want to bother processing his words. Too much energy would be used, he had to focus.

… One thing, though. He actually didn’t know how to properly handle the Anti-Magic.

 _I don’t think there’s any need to teach you either way,_ someone once told him. He couldn’t quite remember their face, but their voice was very distinctive. They were at the hideout at the time, and everyone else was outside.

_You’re not even a Magic Knight. Wouldn’t it be better if you remain as a civilian?_

Unable to reply, Asta could only sit there limply, body slack and weak. Light sank in from the windows. He watched as the hooded figure began to turn away. 

_Well, I have to go now._

_If you want to stand with them, though. Some advice._

A smile.

_Just keep trying._

… Asta relied on strong feelings. Emotions and thoughts were both hard to gather, and they were equally tiring as well. While he could not understand what that person was saying, he made his decision to try his best. 

Except “trying his best” was also very difficult. It took a lot to do the simplest things… Like moving. Or eating.

Or anything.

_So one at a time._

Anti-Magic flooded, and he heard something crack. The horns on his head were growing, tearing his precious headband through. That was right… His body was strengthened. The Witch Queen healed him, and he could handle the Anti-Magic better now.

 _Pull_.

He grabbed for one of his swords. It turned pitch black, and he looked over towards the person who was being hostile towards the kind people. There was a look of confusion on his face, Asta observed. Moving a foot, he stooped forward.

 _… It’s tiring._ The air was cold against his skin.

Streaks of black sliced down to where the hostile one stood. It barely grazed him because he dodged, but Asta quickly threw in another attack.

“Wait—stay away, don’t come near me! Don’t—!”

Raising his blade, he let the gravity pull it down.

Anti-Magic erased all magic that should stand in his way. 

_That is the nature of your devil’s power._

_But from it seems…_ A hum, and then the slightest tilt of the head. _You already know that?_

There was this chill clinging on Noelle’s senses. Despite her body’s protests, the royal girl tried getting up from the ground. Thin arms were shaking under her weight. Noelle stared ahead.

His appearance and ki. Noelle could detect the familiar cold and black power that flowed within Asta’s body, and the feeling itself scared her.

Because it was ominous. Not to mention how he looked right now. His right iris was bright red, and the horns on his head… Twin horns, and then one that resembled a ram’s. 

Finral and Vanessa were both unconscious. Noelle tried to stand up. 

That was when something caught her eyes, and the young royal froze.

… Asta had a lot of injuries. Noelle knew of that fact. His body was riddled with them, and looking at the scars, the Queen must’ve treated them considerably. They were fainter, like the gash across his stomach. Noelle remembered how bad that injury was, but amongst everything...

_Why._

_Why is that there?_

The scars that marred his chest. It spread like spiderwebs, countless cuts… All concentrated to where his heart should be. Looking at it plainly, there wasn’t anything significant about it. They were just remnants of old injuries, except… _Except._

At this angle, from where Noelle was. The shape was even more obvious because the scar tissue had greatly diminished.

The shape of Spade.

Ladros was in the losing battle. He frantically tried to get away, but Asta’s shadow was already looming over him. 

“I-I get it! I lost, so please! I give up! Stay away!” He was out of magic, and even if he tried to get another source for his power, Asta would already be at his tail.

Asta was strong. Always battle-ready, he was… Strong.

The nemesis of all mages.

...

No matter how hard Noelle thought about it, it just didn’t make sense. Asta was at Diamond. The proof? Fanzell and his students! Their history!

_Then how come?_

Why did he have Spade’s symbol? 

Did it have anything to do with his grimoire? His Anti-Magic? But if it was like that… When did he get that mark? The way it marred his skin, it was as if done by knives or something even more brutal…! Did Finral and the others know about this? Was there any information regarding Asta’s past captivation?

Asta was nine when he first met Fanzell.

Noelle paused.

Breath unsteady, she tried to stand again. 

Asta was nine when he first met Fanzell. It was only a few months later when he disappeared from Fanzell Kruger’s life, and that was five years ago. Asta was found a year or so later by the Golden Dawn’s Captain, William Vangeance.

_That one-year time frame._

_Could it be?_

Knees scrapping against the ground, Noelle got up onto her feet.

“Asta!” 

Asta stopped. Sword lowering, the boy slowly turned towards Noelle’s direction.

Dulls eyes stared at her. They were mismatched in color, and Noelle swallowed nervously.

“Asta. He can’t fight anymore, It’s alright now.”

And then towards Ladros, whose back was on the ground, the royal girl narrowed her gaze.

“If you dare try anything... We will know immediately.”

Ladros swallowed. With a nervous nod, his body relaxed. Noelle was lucky she learned how to read ki. The ki never lied...

So it was over, now… Right?

Noelle turned her attention back to her friend. Asta was standing there silently, his eyes remaining downcast. 

“Asta,” stepping forward, Noelle tried approaching the other. It was okay. Asta was still Asta. “We need to help the others—”

“...elle…”

Noelle paused. Lavender pink eyes blown wide, she noticed how Asta seemed to be struggling. His face remained slack, but there was still… His ki, Noelle realized, it was—

“St...a...away…!”

The strong tang of iron. An outburst of magic hit Noelle’s senses, and everywhere the eye could see turned red. The red was blood. It rushed past her feet, surrounding everyone and _everything_. This powerful and overwhelming magic, Noelle recognized it immediately. It was nauseating. 

_Blood Creation Magic: Fresh Blood Execution Ground._

Crimson blood grabbed her arms and forcefully pulled her up. Everyone except Asta was off the ground and captured, and Noelle couldn’t even struggle in the binds. Asta’s expression was filled with pain. He barely moved, but it was the most she sensed him struggling... Even more than what happened back at the dungeon. She tried to detect the others’ conditions. Vanessa was awake, but everyone was barely okay…!

A storm of crows emerged. The Queen… She has arrived.

“My… You still have your awareness,” she commented dryly, and Noelle realized it was directed towards Asta. Asta was still fighting… Fighting for control?

The realization struck her.

Magic shouldn’t be able to affect Asta, even more so if he was in this form. Except… The Queen was able to do so many amazing things, even removing something like an ancient curse. Noelle didn’t know enough about these unknowns, but she remembered what this witch had said before.

_That is if he first disable the Anti-Magic within his body. I cannot heal him otherwise._

Noelle had always wondered why Marx, who from time to time checked Asta’s memories, could not just see everything in one go. His magic was supposed to be absolute, so why wouldn’t it work?

Mimosa and Owen could heal flesh wounds. The ancient curse… And then the problem with his memories.

“The control of blood. That is my magic. Ever since I cast that spell on you… I’ve been able to manipulate your blood at will. You had Anti-Magic strung through your core this entire time. Not to mention your frail vessel… Anti-Magic gave too much strain to your body, and because of _that_ , your physical mobility was restrained.

“If you had kept that up, I wouldn’t have been able to cast my spell... But if you wanted the curse gone, you’d have to take it down. You’re utterly normal for a human, but I am impressed… Though it seemed like your only defense wasn’t worth it if you weren’t able to heal in the end.”

The Witch Queen was using high-level spells one after the other. Salamander was terrifying, but something like this was like a nightmare-turned-reality.

“I am absolute.” 

Asta’s eyes were closing. The Queen was after Asta’s Anti-Magic.

“Bend to my will.”

Sweat was rolling down his skin, and Noelle, who was hopelessly hanging there, shook her head.

“Kill everyone here with your own two hands. Perfectly.”

Watching was painful, but Noelle couldn’t turn away. Never. Asta was still fighting. She couldn’t give up now.

 _Not yet_.

No matter how hopeless it felt.

...

The Queen’s cold gaze landed on Noelle.

"How about it? A Clover Kingdom royal falling by their own sword."

“Stop!” Vanessa’s scream tore through the air, and the way her cries sounded were heart wrenching. Noelle was terrified to the core, but she couldn’t seem to move at all. Petrified. 

One step after the other, Asta’s feet were led to Noelle. Like a puppet… Controlled and manipulated into another’s will. Even so he was so frail, the Anti-Magic made him look scary. Except Asta wasn’t scary. He was kind.

He tried to warn Noelle, after all. He used his voice…

_It sounded so fragile._

Asta didn’t deserve this.

He was...

“... I… You… You won’t kill me,” the young Silva forced out. “I won’t let you kill me!”

Asta shouldn’t need to carry so much on his small body.

He was a precious friend and comrade, a fellow member of the Black Bulls.

The Black Bulls...

“Just you wait, I’ll shake this flimsy spell off right this instance! You’re not going to kill me, Asta! Can you hear me?! _I’m royalty!_ ”

Noelle was strong. She was royalty. She was Noelle of the Black Bulls. She could do this. She could.

 _You’re weak,_ a voice whispered into her ears, and the blackened blade was raised into the air. 

… The same sword that protected everybody.

Everything was so surreal. Was this really happening?

It was. Noelle couldn’t deny it. This was reality, it was happening right now. 

“Enough!” Vanessa cried in desperation. She looked completely disheveled, broken and crazed. “Make him stop! You can’t do this to him, I beg of you! I won’t leave this place ever again, I won’t disobey your words! I’ll live my life here forever, so please! Let them go, let Anti go! Don’t do this to Anti, _please_!”

The witch’s voice was cracking with frantic despair. Just a day ago, Noelle remembered how the older smiled. It was breaking her heart again and again.

_Not Vanessa. Not you, too._

The Queen didn’t care. Her control on Asta remained thorough, and the coldest gaze was sent to who she claimed to be her daughter. 

Words that were beyond cruel were stated. It was scarring, terrifying, and utterly infuriating.

_You formed trivial bonds with imperfect people, and as a result, you brought about their deaths._

“You can’t escape me. You’re my daughter. My family.”

The Queen of the Witches. 

It wasn't like that.

“ _You’re mine._ ”

Family…

Wasn’t like that.

Vanessa was crying. 

Family shouldn’t be like that.

“Not you… You’re not my family!”

Noelle watched. She watched, and...

“The Black Bulls are!” The young witch cried. “ _All of them!_ ”

The food Charmy’s Sheep Cooks would make was always very delicious.

Playing cards with everyone at the lounge… Captain Yami could be found reading some newspapers at his designated couch. Magna and Luck always ended up fighting, and Gauche would yell at them to keep it down. That was when the young girl realized; everyone was always _there_. Noelle remembered the warmth. Pure happiness... This chaotic joy. 

Asta’s Anti-Magic blade began to descend.

Life continued, and it was reeled in.

The Red Thread of Fate.

* * *

Green eyes blinked open. Staring up into the sky, Asta was met with blue. Blue... Just like someone’s eyes. His body didn’t hurt at all, oddly enough. 

Sitting up, he noticed everyone’s faces. There were big smiles of relief, and everyone seemed all healed up. The lady who had hurt Vanessa was looking the other way... A red cat?

A sudden embrace. Vanessa held on him tightly, and he blinked slowly at her action. Soft sobs could be heard… Was Vanessa upset? Noelle joined the hug as well. Noticing Finral, he was standing at the side with a gentle smile. 

…

Important people. Gazing to where Fanzell and the others were, green eyes softened.

He was sleepy. It was alright if he slept a little, right? Closing his eyes, the young boy let himself nod off. 

He felt Nero landing on the top of his head.

Oh right… His headband. It was torn badly, right?

Hopefully it could still be fixed. He really liked it.


	29. The World Turns Again

Asta was pacing around in rapid steps. After the whole incident, or rather, this consecutive chain of events, the Queen of Witches went ahead and healed everyone out of their connection with Vanessa. She did so, at the same time further flexing on how much she was in a different league from everyone else in the terms of magic.

The Queen was really on a whole separate level, and thank _goodness_ she decided to stop trying to kill them. Even though Noelle wasn't quite sure what happened during that moment, she knew that they won because of Vanessa’s magic.

A bubbly smile was on her lips.

Happiness... And relief.

_Vanessa._

So right now, Asta, who had just woken up from his brief nap, was pacing around the flattened battlefield in rapid steps. Nero was bobbing up and down from the motion of his head, and because Asta’s headband was torn about, the horns that shrank back to its usual shape were able to be seen past pale hair.

Asta and Nero were really alike in those regards… The twin horns on their heads.

Fanzell looked around the field. Scratching the back of his neck, he turned around with a sheepish smile.

“Hey, Ladros. Could you help as well…?”

A lazy blink later, Ladros made an equally lazy smile.

“Sure, Teach~!”

When Fana was about to self-destruct, her Flame Magic basically went out of control. Salamander’s magic only made it more destructive, and getting near her only meant asking to be burnt into charcoal. It was thanks to Mars’ Phoenix Robes could they, Asta and Mars, even approach her… And then save her. Except the clothes they wore on their bodies weren’t exactly fire resistant, thus after the whole incident, they were left shirtless for the most part.

In other words. 

The silver chain that kept Asta’s precious crystal around his neck?

Melted.

And then the same field blew up a million times, flooded by blood, and then basically blown up again…

By the time they noticed, the crystal was already long gone.

 _No wonder I thought something was wrong when I watched Asta fight_ , Noelle thought to herself. Stepping across the dirt, she tried searching for the blue crystal that held so much importance to her dear friend. 

There was still a lot on her mind. Like the scars… And the dark shadows that hung with them. Except right now...

Glancing at Vanessa, who now had a slightly different air around her, Noelle decided to temporarily hold her questions off. Asta was currently very agitated with his necklace missing, too.

 _I’ll ask about it later_. 

Everyone, sans the Queen of Witches, was helping Asta look for his missing crystal. Noelle still wanted to be wary about Ladros, but it seemed like Diamond really had a thing for sudden character changes.

… And said character changes must be due to the experimentation done on their bodies. Noelle couldn’t imagine what they could be going through right now. Mars got back his memories after their encounter at the dungeon, and Fana returned to normal meeting Mars again. As for Ladros…

Fighting Asta, the red crystals embedded on his forehead were destroyed. Could that be it? 

Either way, they all feel more relaxed. Fanzell’s students. 

That was definitely a good thing.

...

But seriously. Searching for a tiny gem somewhere in this destroyed site? 

_The audacity of that stone! I’m going to find you, alright?!_

“Ah!” The yelp came from Fana. Everyone quickly gathered to her side, the familiar form of Asta’s crystal was able to be spotted in a hand.

She smiled brightly, and as if in relief, the muscles in Asta’s body immediately relaxed.

It was really over, now.

* * *

And then they were bombarded with a series of _extremely important information_. While the Black Bulls followed the Queen of the Witches back to her throne, their Diamond friends stayed behind to regroup and help with the injured.

“I expect this is the magic stone you mentioned earlier,” the Queen tapped a nail against her earring. Taking it off, she tossed it over to Finral. “I don’t need it. You may have it.”

A pause, and the Black Bulls distantly remembered how there _was_ a magic stone in this forest.

Oh my.

“Erm-uh, thank you!” Finral quickly said as he glanced down to the stone. Because Asta’s clothes were basically unsalvageable, Finral had lent him his coat for now. 

Although...

Why were the Eye of the Midnight Sun looking for these? And who were they, exactly?

The Third Eye… They were strange. Fana turned out to be one of Fanzell’s students, and it made Finral wonder.

Was Vetto the same? 

A person with another set of memories… Or something like that.

Gazing down at them for a moment, the Witch Queen pondered a bit before answering.

They were really bombarded with a series of extremely important information, and it baffled Finral how easily the Queen offered them this intel.

“That stone is a type of magic item that amplifies the magic of its wearer. The only ones to truly master its use were those of the elven tribe.”

“Elven… Tribe?”

“... The origins of the elves are unclear,” the Queen elaborated. “However, several centuries ago, they were a race that possessed great power and lived in what is now called the Forsaken Realm.

“Each individual elf had extraordinarily high mana. Many of them were equal to me.”

_Equal to the Queen… Then how come we never heard them before—?_

“Humans outnumbered them.”

Suddenly, the Spatial Magic user remembered the words that had been stated.

Out of spite… Out of hate.

_I’ll kill you._

Eyes of gold peered down at them from where he hovered. Phoenix flames were around the leader of the group, and they were back at the cave, intense mana clashing against each other.

“They fought…”

_The one you broke. Our golden dreams, and our bond of blood…!_

Screams and yells later, Noelle forced out a new spell.

“And they were annihilated.”

  
  


_I won’t let you hurt us, never again._

Finral stared at the magic stone that sat innocently on his hand. 

“That girl, Fana,” the Queen continued, and the Spatial Magic user quickly prepared his notepad. “Her third eye is Forbidden Magic.... Except she was not the one who activated that magic. It was someone else.

“Ordinary humans are unable to meddle with Forbidden Magic. Activating one of its spells requires an enormous amount of mana… And then some sort of sacrifice. With that in mind… The Ancient Demon was also top-level Forbidden Magic, activated by the leader of the elves.”

The Ancient Demon, as in from the legend of the First Wizard King.

“The Eye of the Midnight Sun may have descended from that tribe.”

There was only one thought in Finral’s mind. From the feel of his comrades’ ki, he could tell that a similar thought was within them as well.

What exactly were they dealing with, right now?

It was confusing. Baffling. Finral furrowed his eyebrows.

“One more thing,” everyone quickly snapped their attention back to the Queen’s voice. The information she just gave them… They would process it all later.

The Queen nodded at Asta’s direction.

“Those swords that boy wield. They are the ruined remnants of the magic swords used by the elf leader. If I remember clearly…

“The Slayer, and then the Dweller. And...”

Blinking slowly, she noticed the crystal resting on Asta’s chest. 

“... That, too, is a magic stone.”

“... That’s a lot to take in,” Finral found himself saying.

“Take as much time as you need,” the Queen replied dryly.

* * *

The Eye of the Midnight Sun. Potential descendants of the elven tribe, and terrorists that sought for Clover’s demise. There was too much that they didn’t know, and Finral didn’t even know _where_ to begin. 

Because he remembered. Licht, the leader of the terrorist group, did not want Asta harmed. The way he yelled for his comrades to stop lingered in the young Roulacase’s head, and even though Vetto broke and cursed Asta’s arms in the end… Before he went crazy, Finral realized that he _had_ tried avoiding hurting the boy directly.

_Did it have anything to do with the swords Asta has? Or maybe the Five Leaf grimoire? There was no way that they knew that Asta had that stone, too, because he had been hiding it under his robes._

_But what about Yuno? The crystal originally belonged to him, right?_

_Would Yuno know anything about this?_

Gathered at the edge of the Forest, friends prepared to part ways. 

“... So, you’re heading back to Diamond?”

Mars nodded. 

“I’ll work for the revolution in the inner circle. The higher ups still believe that I am one of them… So I want to use that to my advantage.” 

The rest of the Diamond invaders and Eye of the Midnight Sun soldiers had their fates given to the Queen’s hands. There was not much they could do about it, considering Mars had to be careful with people outing him out, so they agreed to the Queen’s terms. 

Because more importantly, in return...

Fingers curled around the tiny glass vial in his hand, the Diamond Mage continued.

“The Queen sealed the effect of Puppet’s Blood into this medicine. I’ll pass it off as longevity medicine to the king… And then I’ll control him.”

_And after that, I will rebuild the Diamond Kingdom into a peaceful nation._

Fana, who now no longer donned the Eye of the Midnight Sun’s symbol, held onto the strap of her bag carefully. 

“We’ll keep Fana with us,” Fanzell said as Domina nodded with a kind smile. “Mars, Ladros… Don’t bite off more than you can chew!”

Nodding again, Mars turned his gaze to Fana.

“... Fana, I’m sorry. Please wait until I’ve changed the country. I swear I’ll make Diamond the sort of place you can return to!”

A short second later, Fana pulled Mars into an embrace. Pink eyes widened at the sudden motion, and drawing back, a big smile was on Fana’s lips.

“I’ll wait. I’ll wait forever! So once Diamond is peaceful, let’s go see the world together!”

Their childhood promise. 

“... Yes!”

Not only did Asta’s arms get healed, so many things were accomplished today. The reunion of these students, securing a magic stone… Not to mention the retrieval of so much intel—and of course, Vanessa.

Finral was scared that they would lose an important friend. Except they managed to push through, and… Well.

“The chain’s durability is very good! Flame resistance, water resistance, resistance to breaking, and anything you would ask for!” Domina shot a wink as Asta slowly fixed the necklace’s position around his neck. “Good thing I got a thing like that with me, dears! You don’t have to worry about losing your crystal anytime soon!”

“Mariella is probably coming back from Diamond soon, too,” Fanzell added. “We’ll keep in touch with you guys, and should we find out anything about Asta… We will inform you.”

Finral nodded.

“We’ll be counting on you.”

“Asta?” Half-lidded gaze turned to where Fana stood. “Is it alright if I take your hand?”

A solid second later, he blinked once. Finral nodded, and the girl smiled tenderly. With a gentle, slightly hesitant motion, she took one of his hands into her own.

“... I’m happy to be able to see you again. With Mars… I’m really happy.”

Letting go, a soft chuckle escaped her lips.

“Stay safe and healthy, alright?”

Gaze remaining on Fana for a short while, Asta blinked again. 

Fanzell wiped a tear away. 

Faith, hope, and love… Those were the three leaves of the clover, right? 

Perhaps…

Looking over her shoulder, Vanessa gazed at the sight of the Forest of Witches.

_You are free._

From what Vanessa remembered of her, the Queen always had an air of indifference. Indifference scared Vanessa. Captain Yami might look indifferent, but he had always cared. He wasn't afraid to let people know, and in the contrary... The Queen’s indifference was cold and like a cage, persistent and looming. Maybe there was a time where her majesty was like a mother, but Vanessa couldn’t quite remember. It must have been a long time ago if she was ever kind to her.

_However, this is still your birthplace. Come back to visit, whenever you like._

The sight of her majesty’s back… A bit more quiet, as if finally willing to listen. 

An abrupt change, definitely. The Queen had always sought for perfection, yet she finally acknowledged the existence of imperfection.

...

Imperfection and perfection... 

Scratching her new cat companion’s fur, a distant look was within purple eyes.

 _… Maybe_ , she thought, and turning away, the young witch noticed the others waiting for her at the side.

A smile formed.

“Let’s go!”

* * *

“... What… What _happened_ to you all?” Grey shrank even more into herself at the sound of Finral’s voice. Everyone had just returned to the hideout, and it was _really_ nice to be back home, but—! 

“My greatest apologies,” Magna turned away with an equally pained face. “For what seemed like centuries, we ventured through the same distant shadows, deeper and deeper… In the search for what might have been an antidote to our dear friend’s pain. I was too weak, however, and we fought constantly on the line between life and death. I doubted. I nearly gave up. But every time I was about to despair, I remembered Asta’s face. With the light of what I considered hope, I killed my former self and—”

“Magic arrays are simply too beautiful,” Gauche pushed up his glasses as he rambled along. “The shapes and patterns in mana… I never thought magic could be this fascinating! It’s frustrating that we have yet found anything on Ancient Curse Magic, but... Don’t worry, Asta. Within time, I promise to formulate something that could break that wrongful curse!”

“ _Mutter mutter mutter mutter_ — _”_

“ _The mana is calling me_.”

Charmy stuffed her face with some more of the parasitic magic mushrooms, and with much intensity, Grey covered her face bashfully with her hands.

_This is so embarrassing!_

Captain Yami stared at them blankly. A smoky breath later, he lowered his cigarette. 

“I’m docking your pay.”

_Huh?!_

Vanessa burst out laughing as she leaned back on the couch. There was a red cat on her shoulder, and from it seemed... A new spell?

“You all are too hilarious! What kind of adventures did you all go through? Asta’s all healed up, it’s alright now!”

Noelle nodded curtly, and Finral pointed at Asta’s arms.

Everyone returned back to normal right then.

… Or not. Peeking from the gaps between her fingers, Grey noticed how Vanessa seemed to be a lot brighter than usual. Her favorite booze was in her hands, and an open look of ease was visible.

Grey was good at reading people.

Dusky blue eyes were squinting in pure relief. Vanessa was no longer wearing her brave face, anymore.

And now...

Asta slowly placed a hand where his blue crystal was. Holding it gently, he held the stone closer to himself. 

“It’s the Star Festival!”


	30. Unknown Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long wait! The previous chapter's A/N got deleted, but since it was just a tentative announcement, it's not that important to be noted. I have been more busy recently, so I plan to at least update once (or if possible, twice) a month from now on. I hope you all will enjoy what will come next!! Thank you for waiting 😊

During the Star Festival two years ago, Asta had been quickly swept away by the crowd due to the chaos that was a drinking competition. The Black Bulls found him of course, but that was after spotting Nero aggressively pecking a boy screaming “ba-hah” gone. Throughout the four years Asta had been in their care, the magic brigade only lost track of him twice. Noelle supposed that was a good thing considering how chaotic the Black Bulls were.

Golden Dawn’s Klaus looked really horrified when Finral shared those stories. The day after they learned of Yuno’s connection with Asta, they all hung out together at Kikka... It was also Noelle’s first time hearing about that (Asta getting lost), too, so she was very surprised as well.

Asta was mostly silent. He _did_ talk, sometimes, but among those in this brigade, he spoke to Finral the most. His silence was normal, though—it was like Gauche's rude tongue or Gordon’s inaudible mutters. Everyone had something that made them themselves. 

The sound of his broken yell echoed in Noelle’s mind. It was unforgettable.

Taking in a breath, the royal girl tried to calm her nerves. Holding onto the little glass vial, she stood beside Asta as both of them waited for Finral to come back. The sun was away for quite a while now, but the city was still bright and illuminated by magic and lights. She never really thought about it before, but the sight reminded her of the excessive mana back at the dungeon.

And then Kahono’s magic. 

Cheers sounded as an entertainer finished his show. An applause, coins rained in.

There was laughter all around. The people looked happy, and...

...

Something pricked her senses. 

Looking up, Noelle’s eyes softened. There were crowds and crowds of people, but she could still see them clearly. There were big smiles on their faces.

Taking Asta’s hand, the two Black Bulls ran up to their friends. 

“Kahono! Kiato!” 

“Sea Godd-I mean, Noelle!” Kiato called back, and Kahono greeted them with the enthusiastic waving of her hand. After the incident back at the Underwater Temple, the former laws were made lax. Kahono and Kiato could come up anytime they wanted—not only to the shores of Raquey. The High Priest wanted their dreams to come true.

They didn’t deserve the threat against their own respective hope.

Even with the skills of the best healers in Clover, severed limbs were thought to be impossible to reconnect. As for Kahono… Despite the wound done on her throat healing, her voice never came back fully. Vetto attacked her with the intention of making her despair. It wasn’t that simple.

But now… 

But now.

Noelle popped open the vial the Queen of the Witches granted them.

Maroon colored eyes were wide.

“... No...elle.”

Tears pricked, and happy tears ran down Kahono’s face.

A hug. Noelle laughed. “I promised you, didn’t I?”

Today should end with happiness and not pain. 

“I’m royalty. I’ll never break a promise."

The Star Festival long began.

_Let’s accomplish all of our goals and dreams, yes?_

To be honest, Noelle still had nightmares about that fight. It was terrifying and scary, and the incident with the Forest of Witches didn’t help at all.

But it was normal… She was a Magic Knight.

Light from this festival glittered in green eyes. Asta watched quietly. His hand pulled along, the five, including Nero, enjoyed the night together.

* * *

Across the few weeks, the city had been busy in preparations for this festival. There were still the underlying tensions due to the recent hardships and battles, but in order to boost the morale of this kingdom’s people, it was decided: the event should be held. There was a reason for the Wizard King to do the announcements himself, after all...

Honoring those who fought for the country, respecting and understanding the efforts done to inspire and protect. 

To make the people, regardless of status or blood, more connected.

_A future I wanted to create with you._

“Everyone,” Julius smiled, “be sure to arrive on time, alright?”

And then he looked pointedly at Yami’s direction.

“ _Alright_?”

Though he probably didn’t really have a right to say that.

The Black Bulls did extremely well this year. A pleasant surprise indeed, but one that was very welcomed. Full of glee, Julius decided to keep his excitement to himself behind a wide smile. It was better to keep it a secret, after all.

Nozel was sending him a rather suspicious sideways glance. Julius continued to smile.

_Well, now…_

Turning more serious, Julius thought back on the recent turn of events. Thanks to the Black Bulls’ efforts, another magic stone was retrieved. The Forest of Witches… A lot of important intel was obtained as well. Fuegoleon had yet to wake up, so in his place, Mereoleona was chosen to lead as the Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings.

There was no doubt that more traitors or spies were still mingling within the knights’ ranks. Julius already had his own theories about it, and to test those theories, he formulated a plan. 

This was truly a crucial moment concerning Clover’s stability. 

_And as for the future… We’ll see._

“William!” William paused before turning back. Half of his face covered by that nostalgic mask, the younger’s lips were curved into a tender, gentle smile. 

“Master Julius.”

“How have you been? It has been a while since we got to have a conversation.”

“Indeed. We have all been very busy... Even more so for you, Master Julius.”

Back from how long ago, Julius visited the younger frequently. Fascinated by the World Tree Magic aside, Julius was aware of the loneliness William must have been experiencing throughout his entire life.

It wasn’t unusual. Clover was riddled with shadows—clear issues that were seen as normal. Someone like William should not have their potential cut off. The way the child spoke so timidly sent warning signs to the Magic Knight, and Julius knew. Some time later, the Vice Captain of the Grey Deer bumped into the rumored foreign teen. Julius met Yami.

Their potentials should never be cut off. Not like how Zara’s did.

_And thus, I hope I am wrong. I knew you two for so long, after all._

Four years ago, almost five, William had marched into his office at a setting sun’s time. There was this fire in his eyes, embers Julius never thought he would see in the younger.

_We cannot possibly have him in the dungeons._

_The Royal Houses aren’t in charge of this situation._

Eyes of purple were gazing upon the kingdom. It was dark, and it was bright. Light glittered off of the golden colored mask Julius gave him so long ago. The old tacky mask was well kept and polished.

 _William,_ Julius thought. _You’ve cared so much for your brigade members, for that child you found at Diamond._

_I’ve barely seen you. I know Yami feels the same way, too._

(“They didn’t want to hurt the kid,” Yami reported. Sighing, he lowered his cigarette. “The Licht guy seemed desperate about it, too.”)

_So please._

“... Have you heard?”

William blinked. “Yes?”

“About Asta,” Julius smiled gently. “His group went on a crazy adventure earlier… But you see. He’s all healed up, now. _Healed_ healed.”

William stared at him. He stared at him for a long time.

“... I see.”

William’s smile was genuine.

_Let me be wrong._

  
  
  
  
  


There was a gentle smile on his lips.

It was a soft one… Very subtle. The smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, but…

The smile was undeniably there. 

Noelle felt her breathing hitch. 

Earlier, before this festival, Noelle had pulled Finral to the side and told him everything about what she saw back at the Forest of Witches. She told him about it, because Finral was the one closest to Asta, and… He knew about the mark on Asta’s chest. Owen and the Wizard King were well aware of it as well. 

Noelle wasn’t sure how to feel about it. There wasn’t even _much_ that could be done about it.

According to Finral, the mark was too messy to judge whether or not it was actually _done_ by Spade. It could just be a coincidence, and if not… It only meant that the Magic Scholar, Morris, could be connected with the Spade Kingdom in some way or form.

And that was scary. Diamond’s monarch was already very sick, that was why the soldiers were sent to retrieve the secrets to immortality from the Queen. If anything, Morris was probably the one actually running the kingdom in the shadows. Morris was the one conducting all of these experiments—Mars, Fana. Ladros. All of Fanzell’s students… The innocent civilians of Diamond.

But Asta was _still_ found in Diamond by the Golden Dawn’s Captain, William Vangeance. What about that mark?

_Was it before? Or after?_

_If Spade was really involved, then when was it?_

_First and foremost,_ Finral said to her, _we have to stay by Asta’s side. He’s not in_ their _clutches anymore, and for whatever reason they had him with them… We could only be grateful that he’s not_ there _anymore_.

_So for now…_

A sheepish smile. Finral must have been bothered by the same thing for a long time as well.

_Enjoy the festival together, alright?_

Asta was smiling.

He, who had held the toy ball Kahono won him back at the magic game stall, placed the colorful toy into the crying child’s hands. A lost girl… Her cries were reduced into sobs, and she stared at the ball curiously. 

“For me…?” She asked hesitantly.

Green eyes softened.

Noelle blinked hard, and turning around, she noticed Kahono singing. Kiato… He was dancing. The siblings were performing, and everyone became enamored by their performance. Even Noelle… Even the previously crying child. 

The lost child’s name was Emma. They found her mother soon after, and…

There was a thought.

A thought full of guilt, but something that she wanted to hope about.

“Royal or aristocrat, commoner or pauper—it doesn’t matter!” A hand placed on top of Emma’s head, Noelle pumped her fist into the air.

“Everyone can have fun together!”

One day, Asta could perhaps laugh again.

* * *

The Black Bulls had the strangest reputation. There was a time they were known as the absolute worst, a group containing only scoundrels, but across these years… It wasn’t like they always got last place. Eighth or seventh… Even sixth that one time. They were considered the “odd-group” out. No one was sure how exactly they should feel about them. 

This year, the Black Bulls reached even higher heights. 

First place.

Everyone was dumbstruck.

The Golden Dawn received second place with 125 stars. They were only three stars away from the Black Bulls’ achievements, and the entire square was surprised. 

Yuno wasn’t.

Even though the Black Bulls received first place, the rowdy brigade never showed up. Yuno supposed it was because they were the freest, or perhaps they were too chaotic to the point they forgot that the announcements were even happening. He hoped that it wasn’t that they forgot, though. The Wizard King’s voice should reach the entire city... Right?

When the Golden Dawn’s name was called, Yuno stepped forward as the rising star rookie. To become Wizard King, merits were needed.

Yuno had to prove himself the strongest. 

… Even though the announcements were over, along with the news about the Royal Knights Exam, the Black Bulls never showed up. Perhaps they were just having fun somewhere, at least he hoped so. There was this singing dancing through the air... He never heard of it before. It could be someone's magic.

“Yuno~ Let’s go look around the stalls! Some gotta still be open, it’ll be a date!”

“Not now, Bell.”

This was fine. 

Another round of cheers sounded. The Star Festival was the most popular event in Clover. 

_Next time, I should bring everyone back at Hage over. The kids would love it… Not to mention Father._

_It’s been a while since I last visited._

Turning away, the young mage began to make his way down the stone stairs. That was when he heard a sharp gasp from Bell, and—

Something grabbed him by the head.

Captain Mereoleona, the new Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings, was very easy to recognize. She looked a lot like her siblings, after all, and Yuno remembered her from the announcements. Her presence was very distinctive... As intense as her brothers.

… But… Even so. He couldn’t really understand. Why was she… Standing there...

...

Looking past her, Yuno finally noticed Noelle (and Asta?!) hanging behind the captain by these paws made out of fire. They were just hanging there, so miserably—

“You’re coming, too.”

_Huh?!_


	31. A Story's Prelude

The Golden Dawn’s 125 stars consisted of many accomplishments and successful missions. There were still many assignments in progress at the time of the Star Festival, such as the Missing Magic Item Investigation Case Yuno’s team was working on much earlier, but for now, they were put on hold. The main focus right now was the Eye of the Midnight Sun, after all...

But the case was still concerning, however. It was assumed that rogue nobles had broken into the Magic Investigation Department for who knew what reason, but there hadn’t been a single trace on their, both the offenders and the stolen items, whereabouts. The mission was assigned accordingly due to the team’s magic detecting prowess.

With Mimosa’s Flower Guidepost and Yuno’s mana detection, the investigation would be more efficient. Except there were chances that the items stolen had magic that helped with camouflage… The staff would inform them of the missing items’ details shortly.

Yes. That was exactly Yuno was supposed to do. Return to base after the festival, quickly skim over the reports on the investigation, and then prepare for the Royal Knights Selection Exam that would be within the coming weeks.

Looked like the first two steps were going to be skipped, because this was totally for the said Royal Knights Exam. 

Strong magic region, Yultim Volcano. As a rule, it wasn’t the sort of place people were allowed to get near to, but...

“At the summit, there’s a magnificent, revitalizing hot spring! Well?! I bet you’re all excited now, aren’t you?! Come! Let’s head for the summit!” Mereoleona Vermillion, the infamous Uncrowned Undefeated Lioness, grinned maniacally. 

A hot springs training camp.

The volcano erupted again.

* * *

Apparently, the Captain of the Black Bulls and the Captain of the Blue Roses were also kidnapped for this camp. It was all part of Mereoleona’s plan—or more precisely, her gut instincts. 

Rumored that she spent three hundred or so days becoming one with the wilderness, it was no wonder how she came to plan this kind of regime. That, and...

Mana Skin. It was a fundamental skill that all mages should know about, yet it was one that didn’t get enough recognition and was always taken for granted. 

What protected you from the force of another’s mana? Mana Skin. 

What boosted your physical abilities when you should be fighting? Mana Skin.

So how would you protect yourself from this magic region’s intense temperatures?

_Mana Skin._

_Learn how to sustain it long-term, in a harsh environment like this one!_

The Captains wore them like they were breathing, and all of the Magic Knights present stared after their superiors as they clawed up the very active hellscape. Even though the terrain was of the worst possible match-ups for Captain Charlotte, a user of Briar Magic, she scaled the volcano as if it was nothing.

Yuno watched, and all of Crimson Lion Kings were psyched up. 

Especially Leopold.

“We’re going up that volcano and get to the hot springs!” The youngest Vermillion hollered as his fellow Magic Knights yelled with him. Leaping down the ledge, the group quickly force their way through the intense heat and magic. 

Yuno was drenched with sweat. Dragging the back of his hand across his forehead, he absentmindedly thought about Klaus and Mimosa, and how they were actually supposed to meet up after the announcements... Hopefully they wouldn’t be too worried.

 _But first..._

_Mana Skin._

Focusing his senses, he pulled the excessive mana around him closer. 

_Like this… And then…_

“B-but what about Asta?” His concentration nearly broke at the sound of Noelle’s voice. Opening his eyes, he glanced to where the two Black Bulls who were left behind stood. Looking at Asta carefully, Yuno noted that he seemed physically alright. He must had recover from whatever injury Finral told him about.

Noelle, like him, had sweat beading all over her face. 

“He doesn’t have magic, so—”

“He’s a Magic Knight, ain’t he?” Mereoleona cut the younger off. The Vermillion's eyes were sharp and calculating, and it occurred to Yuno that since she was a Captain, then she must know about Asta’s situation as well. She had to be informed about it.

“So stop coddling him.”

Noelle froze at that. 

“Coddling…”

Breathing evenly, Yuno turned his attention away. He gazed at the golden, molten rocks as they bubbled and burned away. 

_Almost…_

He looked back over his shoulder. Captain Mereoleona was walking away, her back towards Noelle and Asta. 

“Yuno?” Bell’s voice chimed in Yuno’s ear. She looked up curiously from her spot in his Magic Knight robe’s hood. “Aren’t we going?”

He kept silent, because...

“Got it,” Noelle voiced strongly. “Asta. I’ll be going ahead, alright?”

Green eyes blinking after her, the young royal girl began to stride through the burning mana. A short moment later, Yuno, who had long donned his Mana Skin, let the wind pull him forth. 

… He didn’t notice at first, but Asta wasn’t looking towards the floor that much. It was such a small detail, and Yuno didn’t want to ponder on it too much, but oddly enough… It seemed…

The Wind Magic user shook his head.

Shooting through the air, Yuno steadily approached the volcano’s summit. He already passed many of the Crimson Lion Kings, and summoning wind blades, the volcanic life-forms weren’t a problem as well.

Bell was enjoying the flight quite a lot. Her tiny hands gripping the rim of his hood, she giggled as they flew faster. 

“This is so fun!”

“... Yeah.”

That was when a black shooting star dove past them, and eyes of gold widened. Up at where the summit was, a dark form landed at the ledge of the platform. Yuno landed at a small distance away from the other.

Asta’s red eye turned back green. The wing of Anti-Magic behind him dissipated, and the horns that grew out of his head shrank away. Half-lidded gaze drifted and made contact with Yuno’s, and for a moment, Yuno couldn’t breathe. 

The shorter turned away the moment Noelle and Leopold got to the top. Yuno could only stare after them as Leopold hollered his sweaty yell of victory.

“Took you all long enough!” Captain Yami said with a laugh. The empty pit before them began being filled with water, and the rumored hot springs manifested into existence.

… There was a lot on Yuno’s mind.

At least the hot springs were actually real.

* * *

Yuno remembered Leopold from the Distinguished Service Ceremony. He didn’t give off the best impression at first, but after the incident with Captain Fuegoleon, Yuno remembered how much the younger Vermillion’s demeanor changed. There was now a burn mark at the center of his forehead, much like his older brother’s.

Something about an oath.

“Yuno! My rival, I challenge you to see who can stay in the hot springs the longest!” 

“... You can’t be serious.”

The water began boiling courtesy of Leopold’s magic, but with the wind’s support, Yuno quickly cooled down the air around him.

Leopold began to heat up the water even more intensely. 

“Yo, kid!” Yami called Asta, who was sitting quietly on top of a boulder. Shoes taken off, only his feet were soaked in the water. “You should totally get in the tub—even though Sisgoleon’s the one who suggested it, it’s awesome!”

Asta blinked slowly as Yuno tuned out the grumbling sounds Leopold was making. He wasn’t sure why the redhead was trying so hard to talk to him, but the moment Asta began to take off his Black Bull robe, Yuno looked away. 

Very soon, Asta was also in the pool, the surface of the water at his lips. Yuno caught a glimpse of a grey colored chain floating around the boy’s neck… That was right. It was that crystal…

...

… He needed a higher place to stand. He might suffocate like that.

His headband might get soaked, too. Asta was really short… If anything, he was as tall as Recca.

_So stop coddling him._

Yami was laughing at how Asta could barely keep his head afloat. When his laughter calmed down, the Captain of the Black Bulls hummed a bit before a mischievous look made its way on his face.

The Black Bulls were the kind of people who were the freest. They caused a lot of destruction, but Yuno could tell that they were all decent people. Even though Asta was very powerful when it came to fighting, his fellow brigade members were always by his side. 

They weren’t just there because of their mission to look after Asta. They genuinely cared for him. 

Coddling… 

_But he’s a Magic Knight,_ Luck Voltia had said with a smile. _A very strong one, too._

They were facing the Diamond Mage together, and...

“Oi, there’s a better way to enjoy a hot spring, y’know.”

Everyone’s attention was immediately taken by the Captain of the Black Bulls. Even though he was known as the Lord of Destruction, the Magic Knights still respected (or feared) him for he was a Captain, therefore their superior (and... Hero). 

Yami jabbed a thumb at the wall that split the pool in half.

“The women’s bath. Let’s go peep.”

The Crimson Lion Kings stared at the foreigner. 

_You can’t be serious_ , Yuno thought to himself.

“Won’t we get killed…? Is that even allowed?” One Crimson Lion pointed out, and others quickly nodded in agreement. Mereoleona of the Vermillion House was right there, after all. Behind that wall.

Not to mention the Captain of the Blue Roses, too...

“And it’s very disrespectful, so…”

“Man, you wimps talk a lot.”

Gazing ahead, a look of wisdom rested on Yami’s face. 

“If you were born a man, you do it. Even if you have to risk your life.”

Even though Yuno could not take him seriously, all of the Crimson Lion Kings around him gasped. They were probably overlapping the image of the Captain they respected the most, Captain Fuegoleon, with this man who had the same rank. Yami knew that, of course, and he took advantage of it. After some more button-pushing, the Lord of Destruction managed to get the poor Magic Knights to scale the wall screaming. 

He was seriously messing with them, wasn’t he...

Asta’s head was still barely afloat. Yuno promptly tried to ignore them all. 

The sky was starry from here.

...

“Did you just snort at me?” Yami suddenly said. He was giving Asta a look, and the boy merely stared at his captain, eyes half-lidded and motionlessly quiet. Dark eyes narrowed, Yami furrowed his eyebrows. 

"... You little brat..."

Leopold’s scream as he lost his grasp on the wall ended with the largest splash in the water. 

It was a story’s prelude.

_Yuno?_

Soft sobbing ceasing, eyes of gold looked up shyly.

Asta grinned. He pulled the other along.

_Let's go!_

* * *

Flexing his right hand, thin strings of gold light sank in from the office’s windows. The dawn, like any other day, has arrived… It was very much peaceful, the constant in this world.

The golden dawn that began each day.

There was still the slightest tingling in his arm, for they were the remnants of his unhealable injury, but the fact his wound actually got fixed was a miracle by itself. Sally, Patry’s acquaintance and subordinate, was a genius. He tried digging a bit deeper into her background, but no matter what he could possibly do, in the end… Her crimes were innumerous. Clover would never accept her, and not to mention... She was already renamed by Patry.

A pity, truly. 

“Captain,” gazing up from his papers, William wore his smile.

“David, Letoile, and Klaus. Thank you three for coming.”

For the upcoming Royal Knights Selection, William already had planned who would be taking the exam. It was the gathering for an elite group, so Langris was a must. Langris, Yuno, Klaus, Mimosa, and Hamon… Sandler persistently pled to attend as well. He could not fault him from that, and while there were other duties William wanted to assign him with… He supposed he could let him go. 

The sole mission of the Royal Knights was the defeat of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. Julius sensed that time must be running out, especially because of the rising aggressions from both Spade and Diamond. Should the Eye of the Midnight Sun be dealt with first, the rest of the kingdom’s forces would be able to focus on Clover’s defenses and preparation for dreading wars. 

_And_ with the Eye of the Midnight Sun’s defeat, it would surely boost the morale of the people, citizens and Magic Knights alike. That was the reason for the selection’s publication. The Star Festival left behind an everlasting impact… Especially as the Wizard King himself was present.

Julius had weighed his options carefully.

“Regarding the Missing Magic Item Investigation, I’ll like to reassign it. Klaus, your team will be attending the Royal Knights Selection with a few others. I want you and your team to focus on training as of now, and David and Letoile will take charge of the investigation in your stead. Is that clear?”

Together with an enthusiastic chorus of _yes, sir_ , the three-leaf salute was immediately made. Smile remaining in place, the Captain of the Golden Dawn nodded in pride that was laced in deafening guilt. 

“I will be depending on you all.”

The door closed behind his Magic Knights the moment they exited the room. Left alone with his own devices, the smile worn was never removed.

There was a lot on his mind. Thoughts that were loud and quiet… Maddening noises that scratched in his ears. Gentle fingers touched the mask he wore. The texture was soothing to the mind, yet that thought screamed wrongfulness and further panic.

He recalled the conversation he had with Yami. The sensation of air brushing against his bare face gave him a strange feeling, yet he continued to carry himself with wavering dignity. 

_I was born with it._

_They called me a cursed child._

He was known as a hero of Clover. William Vangeance, Captain of the Golden Dawn. He was known as the one who led the strongest Magic Knight Brigade in this generation, a user of powerful magic as a noble and Magic Knight.

The promised day was arriving. Patry was not even fazed at the news of Vetto and Fana’s incapacitation—his plans of eleven years could not be destroyed that easily. William understood that the most. The elf was diligent in his research, anything he could get his hands on about Forbidden Magic. William remembered those years, and—

_Have you heard?_

Master Julius was smiling gently.

 _About Asta. His group went on a crazy adventure earlier… But you see. He’s all healed up, now._ Healed _healed._

… William could tell. While Langris was efficient and quick in his work, always presenting with the best possible results, his mental stability was long collapsing—he didn’t know how to take care of himself. That trait of his reminded him of Patry… And it wasn’t just because he housed the soul of the elf’s cousin, too. William didn’t want to see them as the same person.

Langris was a genius, and like Patry, his life was in a complete mess. They had tunnel vision on their duties and work, but Patry was willing to pull back for the sake of this shared body’s health. Langris was different. Sandler’s behavior lately also concerned him… His unwillingness to cooperate with others amongst everything else he noticed. Perhaps the Royal Knights Selection could help with their respective problems, but it wasn’t absolute. Magic Knights, especially those like in the Golden Dawn, were expected to always be on their best performance. It was an unknown stigma that removed their humanity from their names, they were seen as statues rather than people.

William was running out of time.

Looking down at the papers splayed over his desk, eyes of purple narrowed carefully.

The Star Festival boosted the morale of the people. Since Julius was crowned Wizard King, the festival became the most popular in Clover. With the system of star awarding, Magic Knights became more motivated… The system wasn’t perfect, but it changed the kingdom by a large margin.

He was running out of time.

Dipping his quill in ink, William began to write. He was already ahead in his paperwork, also for Langris’ sake, and these were actually ideas he had long begun to formulate. 

The future was going to be unknown and bleak. Clover was too unstable, yet there wasn’t much that could be done about that in a short period of time. There were a lot of foreign conflicts, and together with Clover’s internal strife… There wasn’t much that could be done, but even so, as long as the people continued to exist...

As long... As the people...

…

Folding the paper carefully and sealing it with wax, the Captain of the Golden Dawn stood up from his table.

He had his proposal delivered to the Wizard King.

… It wasn’t that they were coddling him. They knew their boundaries perfectly, but regardless, Asta was his own person. 

Anti was strong. They understood that as a fact. Yet he was still a child, and thus he needed support. He needed to be treated like a person… The Black Bulls could do that. Nobles never treated each other like people, after all.

Look at the House of Adlai. Look at Roselei, Boismortier, _Vangeance_.

The nameless child was originally going to be made into a weapon. A child without origin, nameless and forsaken. A child without a _voice_ , without any means of mobility and _safety_.

A child with _nothing._

 _That_ was of the darkest, filthiest orders the heads of the Royal Houses wanted to issue. The most disgusting, infuriating, and bitterly unethical. For a moment, the young Vangeance lost his name, and eyes that flickered with an ugly _something_ glared upon the tall, tall castles.

The same castles that took and destroyed Patry’s _everything._ The same castles that left all in _treachery, despair, and hatred_.

_Vengeance._

Julius pulled him back.

Yami grabbed his arm.

He became William again.


	32. Royal Knights Exam - Part 1: Cast Away

He liked counting his footsteps. One, two, and three, and then repeat whenever he should pass by a pillar or door.

_One, two, three._

_Four, five, six._

The halls of the Vaude manor were constant and normal. While they were, the feeling they would give off… It wasn’t exactly pleasant. Hard to describe, they were his every day, and yet… 

Finral stopped before turning at the corner. 

“Superb, Langris, dear! You’re my son, of course you’d be so brilliant!”

It was Lady Liliane, his younger brother’s mother. Judging from the color of the sky outside, Langris’ lessons for today just finished, right? Peeking over, purple eyes spotted the lady talking to one of the servants. Her voice was really shrilling… 

“My little Langris is marvelous, is he not?”

… For Lady Liliane to be praising him so much, Langris must have done a _really_ good job on whatever he was studying, today. Langris was a genius, of course he would do well. Finral learned that quickly, and as his older brother, he was proud.

“I’ll be excusing myself, Mother,” Langris said with a polite smile. The younger Vaude turning away, Finral noticed that he was heading right towards him—

“Ah!”

Teal eyes widened the moment they bumped into each other, and at that instance, the older surged into _pure panic_. Langris didn’t like surprises, he even told him so many times to _stop porting yourself behind me, brother!_ At this rate, the younger’s former good mood would be completely ruined, and that was ba—

Teal eyes were rimmed with red.

“... Langris?”

Langris was completely frozen at where he stood. He was like a newborn fawn, nearly shaking on his feet. Finral’s mind drew a complete blank. He wasn’t sure what to do, but he could tell. 

Langris, his genius younger brother, was in distress.

There was silence. 

… Usually, Langris would say something mean. Almost dryly, with hints of sarcasm, and only when Finral was older did he realize how cruel the younger's words actually were. That they were demeaning… Shouldn't be said as a joke, whether or not Langris meant it as a joke. Langris was always like that.

Langris was… Always like that.

However.

Right here, right now. At this very moment.

Langris wasn’t shoving him away. He wasn’t saying anything mean, and… He was just standing there, _quietly_ , holding his breath, and eyes glued to the _floor_. Langris never looked at the floor like that. He had always held himself high, higher than anybody...

The sight itself was strange. Finral wasn’t sure what to make of it, and he was scared. This was unknown territory.

… But...

_But._

...

“H-hey,” the older of the two began. “I was looking for you!”

He smiled brightly.

“I found a neat place. Want to go play?”

Silence stretched over. The shrilling of Lady Liliane’s voice could still be heard loud and clear, and Finral felt his heart hammering in his chest. The muscles in his face were straining, but despite the pain, he tried to make it _real_. 

His smile.

A second passed.

A beat and then another.

Bottom lip wobbling, his five year old little brother nodded curtly. 

Finral took his hand, and pulling Langris along, distance was made between them and that empty, empty classroom.

There was a time when the two brothers were on okay terms. 

They played a lousy game of hide and seek.

* * *

Magic Knights assigned by their respective Captains were gathered at the colosseum of Kikka. As it was also the site of the annual Magic Knight Entrance Exams, the venue was a familiar sight to be seen. In order to become a Magic Knight, this was the first step towards that stage.

Aside from certain individuals, of course. Those of royal blood, like Mimosa and Leopold of the Vermillion House, were accepted into their respective Magic Knight Brigades without needing to take the test. Noble students who were recommended from prestigious Magic Academies were also exempted, but such cases were sparse.

… Then again, there were those who joined through the back door, like the majority of the Black Bulls Magic Brigade.

This was the assembly for the Royal Knights Selection Exam.

_Unconscious betrayal?_

The thought hadn’t left from Marx’s mind. Aside from the assembling of the elite squad, the other purpose of this exam was the search for the _unconscious traitors_. This was made on the basis of a feeling—a proof hadn’t been exactly solidified, yet—but… While the Wizard King would run off to who knew where all the time, there was still a reason for Julius Novachrono to stand on the very pinnacle of this kingdom’s Magic Knights.

Merit. Proof that he was the strongest. Julius’ intuition was of the sharpest, and Marx had no reason to doubt him. 

“It is good to see you all here,” Julius said with a smile. “Let the Royal Knights Selection Exam begin!”

There was something ominous growing within the Magic Knights.

The rules proclaimed by the royal king, Marx reviewed over who was present. His Majesty was rather eager to be present himself, despite not being exactly _that_ involved with the kingdom’s military affairs. Among the Wizard King’s staff, it was pretty much a well known fact that the king had a certain distaste towards Julius, but fortunately his usual pettiness didn’t make him try to demote or remove the older. 

Fortunately, as If he had done so, Clover’s security and strength would have drastically plummeted… Considering the facts, it was also thanks to Damnatio Kira for persuading the king otherwise, when Julius’ popularity with the masses became more obvious throughout the years. 

“A team competition?” Klaus pushed up his glasses. “If that is the case… The brigades are probably going to be scrambled among the teams.”

“Scrambled...” Blinking slowly, a smile found itself on Mimosa’s lips. “Indeed! This is so exciting, isn’t it, Yuno?”

“Hm.”

“Yuno’s team will definitely win!” Bell chimed in with a grin. Hovering by Yuno’s ear, she continued talking as the Wind Magic user slowly tuned her voice down in his head. 

There were whispers from the surrounding knights. Murmurs, and all eyes were on the Golden Dawn’s robes. Such things were frequent, and it wasn’t abnormal at all. Gossips were always present no matter where one should go.

Except this time, it wasn’t the whispers of disgust and narrowed eyes like back at the post-decoration ceremony reception. They were whispers of curiosity… Awe, and perhaps a bit of jealousy.

Yuno paid them no heed.

“Ah! Lady Noelle, and Asta!” Mimosa’s voice reached the young man’s ears, and eyes of gold turned its gaze to the side, away from where the Wizard King stood. Noelle, who noticed her cousin, approached the small Golden Dawn team with steady steps. Asta was by her side as usual, and there was this small hint of nervousness within lavender pink eyes.

“Mimosa,” Noelle greeted, and Klaus, who noticed Asta, immediately charged at him and asked about his well being. 

Yuno did tell him that Asta had recovered from whatever he was injured from already, but, well, it seemed that all reason just jumped out of the senior knight’s head the moment he spotted the young Black Bull. Though seeing Asta again... 

It wasn’t very obvious, but Yuno noticed that his half-lidded gaze wasn’t really towards the ground, anymore. 

… Or it could really just be his imagination.

“So I was saying,” Bell said with a _hmph_ , “no matter what team Yuno’s going to be on, Yuno’s team will be the one on the very top!”

Spotting Finral, who was accompanying some of the other Black Bulls, Yuno blinked slowly. His hairstyle… He changed it.

Eyes meeting, the older smiled sheepishly with a nod. Yuno nodded back.

The rules for the team competition were very simple. Within thirty minutes, destroy the opposite side’s crystal. If time ran out before either crystals were destroyed, then the team that made the most damage on the target wins. If the crystal was both destroyed at the same time, the match would end as a tie—neither would be able to proceed to the next match.

Since the purpose of the Royal Knights was to battle against the terrorist group, different brigades had to work together despite being in competition for so long. In other words, this was a test to assess cooperation and strategy skills… Ties also meant failure on the Royal Knights’ part, so Yuno supposed it made sense.

He began scanning for his name on the list of teams.

Team D… Yuno, Finral Roulacase, and Ben Benfunk. 

Yuno blinked again.

Klaus shuffling beside him, he pushed up his glasses again as he squinted at the list shown above. 

“I’m in a team with _Luck_ …?” Skimming through the list, Yuno spotted Mimosa’s name first before seeing Klaus’, who was indeed in a team with Luck from the Black Bulls. Mimosa was with this Nils person, and then… X? Klaus was in Team L while Mimosa was in Team I, so in other words, should both of them win once, they would be facing off each other right after that… Yuno was at the other side of the bracket, so if he were to be fighting any of the two, that would be at the finals. 

_… What about Asta?_

He glanced to the end of the list, and after a few, found Asta’s name. He was partnered with Sekke Bronzazza and Xerx Lügner…

Their names sounded familiar.

“You’re kidding me,” came Noelle’s voice, and Yuno averted his attention to the shorter girl. There was a rather horrified look on the Black Bull’s face, and looking back up the chart...

En Ringard, Noelle Silva, and Solid Silva.

…

_Oh._

* * *

It was very obvious that Noelle did not have a good relationship with her family. The fact that those of higher status treated their own like that irked him the wrong way, not to mention towards the youngest…

_Leave this place, you failure._

There was a lot on Yuno’s mind that day, but he still remembered the words that were stated so viciously. The entire venue was cold, and standing under the spotlight was Noelle, her head ducked incredibly low.

Asta was the one who anchored her to stay. 

There was a ruckus—Xerx Lügner, who had been late, finally arrived and was laced with absolute disrespect. With one arm hanging around the Wizard King’s shoulders, all Magic Knights blew up with pure irritation and anger. 

_How dare he treat the Wizard King this way!_

As for Yuno, there was only one thought in his mind.

_… So he’s going to be in the same team with Asta._

Noelle looked extremely worried for her fellow Black Bull, even though she had received the short end of a stick as well. 

Hopping down the platform (and dodging Marx’s—Yuno recognized him, he was the one who informed him about Asta’s situation from a while ago—immediate attack), Xerx landed before his team, where a hesitant Green Praying Mantis quickly backed away. 

The Wizard King, with a small smile, said nothing was amiss. The Purple Orcas were very confused and unsure… Xerx was supposed to be the Vice Captain of that brigade, apparently.

Yuno didn’t have a good impression on the Purple Orcas. He turned away.

“Well, it looks like we’re on the same team, you and me. Let’s get along.”

“U-uh, I suppose, ba-hah...”

“Hm?” Xerx blinked at Asta. “You…”

Yuno found his teammates. Finral had quickly greeted him the moment he could, and recalling the fight at Kikka, it was reassuring to have someone like him as a teammate. Yuno recalled Ben Benfunk from the Yultim Volcanoes… A Crimson Lion King under Captain Mereoleona. 

Ben gave the two a nod. Team D was set. 

“Has everyone found their team?” Julius Novachorno looked around. “Alright then! Let’s go to the test field. Cob, we’ll be counting on you!”

“Yes-yes-yessir!” 

What met their eyes past the spatial gate was a stretching sight before them. It was akin to a miniature version of Clover’s biomes all combined. Forests, plains, deserts… High ground, low ground, there were even ruins. Water.

“Battle wins and loses won’t directly affect whether you pass or fail! That said, the more you win, the more you’ll be able to show your true skills. Since you’ve got the chance, I encourage that you all aim for the championship!

“You may attack your opponents; however, naturally, you mustn’t kill them!” The Wizard King’s eyes began sparkling. “We’ve got a high-level recovery mage here, so fight to your hearts’ content!”

The platform was crowded with Magic Knights. Standing beside Finral, the older had sucked in a nervous breath.

“Noelle, you can do it…”

It was the beginning of the first match, Team A (Rob, Francis, and Winston) versus Team B (En, Noelle, and Solid), and looking back… If Yuno were to describe the entire battle in one word, it would be “chaos.”

Because… Well.

Noelle screamed at her brother as the older Silva recoiled.

“ _I’M TELLING YOU! LET ME HANDLE IT, SOLID!_ ”

A roaring dragon cut through the entire field.

* * *

The opponent they were against was a senior member of the Silver Eagles. Rob Vitesse, 2nd Class Senior Magic Knight, and a user of Wind Magic. While Noelle recognized the name, Solid should be more familiar with him. They were in the same brigade, after all…

“Noelle, right?” En Ringard of the Green Praying Mantis greeted gently. “It is nice to meet you. Let’s work hard together.”

After a small hesitating second, Noelle nodded curtly. “Y-yeah, of course…”

Usually, she would take up her royal demeanor and place it on her shoulders, but… 

“Geh, you better not drag me down, you failure.”

Noelle felt her body make a slight tremble.

“... Ye—”

A gentle but firm hand was placed on her shoulder. Glancing up, lavender pink eyes noticed En, his eyes looking past the planes of his glasses. He was scrutinizing Solid, and despite his slouching form, he was standing with the air of a Magic Knight.

An honorable one.

“We’ll be working together as a team. Leave the insults aside, and focus on our match at this very moment.”

“Hah?” Solid raised an eyebrow. “What gives, you’re a Praying Mantis—the group filled with pathetic commoners! Don’t think you can say whatever to me, you piece of filth.”

The word “commoner” immediately made Noelle think of Rebecca and her siblings. Swallowing the queasy feeling down, Noelle tried to blink away any panic as the referee raised his hand to start the match.

_It’s okay, it’s okay. Calm down._

_Think of your most reassuring memory._

“LET THE FIRST MATCH BEGIN!”

Rob Vitesse was quick with his strategy. As the one that held the most mobility in his brigade, he quickly rose the ranks step after step. Francis of the Aqua Deers and Winston of the Purple Orcas were decent in their support, and as a team, they quickly closed in to the other side’s area. 

“I’ll defend the crystal,” Rob voiced. Pulling the wind along, he examined the field carefully. “Sir Solid isn’t a team worker, so we can use that to our advantage. However, he is still a royal; his prowess in the offensive is something to be careful about.”

He squinted.

“Although… As for the other two. I have yet to hear much about them, but… Alright, you two go on ahead.”

“Of course!”

A few minutes passed. 

There was an explosion.

Rob blinked slowly.

After a little, very distantly, there was… There was some screaming. 

Screaming…

Were his teammates alright? No, the screams didn’t belong to them… They were…

“GET OUT OF MY WAY, NOELLE!”

“N-No! Solid, listen to me!”

Water surged forth, and it was Solid’s water coils. Rob swiftly backed away, the crystal safe behind him.

Winston’s attacks seemed to be bearing results. Rock Magic was not easy to destroy by slithering snakes… Not to mention that water could be swallowed by more water, like Francis’ Water Magic.

What about the other team’s crystal? He checked his mana detection—one member of the enemy team was farther back. In theory, they must be the one guarding the crystal. As for the other two…

“DAMN IT! I WARNED YOU, YOU FAILURE!”

They… This was a bit… How to put it.

They were not demonstrating teamwork at all, not even an inkling. He knew that Sir Solid was never the type to work with others, unless it was under the orders of his brother, their captain, but… Either way, this wouldn’t do well for them, regardless should they win. 

The little Silva from the Black Bulls was right at Solid’s tail. Rob was aware of her existence, but anything he heard of her was merely rumors or snide comments from her older siblings… Specifically Sir Solid and Lady Nebra. It wasn’t that they talked about her all the time, though. They had other things to do, after all… Like picking on other folks. 

Captain Nozel never mentioned her once. The aristocratic life was troublesome. 

“Solid…!” The girl was running after her brother in flimsy steps. She must have ran all the way from back there, while Solid was traveling through the means of a spell… But if you paid attention, she _was_ using reinforcement magic, so that meant something.

Well, no matter. Ultimately, it was differences in individual power that separate victory from—

… What in the world.

Rob stared ahead. 

Just earlier, just a second ago, Solid had tried pushing Noelle back while Francis tried attacking them again. Winston was already ready for another barrage of spells, and—

And… It was hard to describe. Whatever that happened occurred within seconds, and Rob, the one who was most mobile in the Silver Eagles, couldn’t keep up.

“I’M TELLING YOU! LET ME HANDLE IT, SOLID! WE’RE WASTING TIME HERE!”

Solid recoiled at the younger’s sudden outburst, and at that very moment, the little girl desperately rose her wand and jabbed it forth.

The black sheep of the Silva House. The youngest daughter who was only rumored about, born right before the unfortunate death of Acier Silva.

Noelle... Silva.

“WATER CREATION MAGIC," the young girl screamed, "SEA DRAGON’S ROAR!”

… Ultimately, it was differences in individual power that separate victory from defeat.

Rob nearly went out with the long obliterated crystal. 

Noelle huffed. Raising her arm, she wiped away the sweat that hung on her face. After climbing the Yultim Volcanoes, this terrain, _everything_ —it was different. Experience complied, she had to thank Lady Mereoleona as well.

The best way to do so was to win. To show results… Undeniable progress.

_For that very reason, surpass her._

_You look like your mother… But surpass her with a strength that’s all your own._

Standing up straight, Noelle turned and looked over her shoulder. En was catching up to where they stood, and their eyes meeting, the Praying Mantis smiled and raised a friendly fist.

"Y-you...!"

Solid looked absolutely shocked and bewildered. Noelle tried to steady her breath.

_... Don’t think about the past. Don’t think about it._

_Today is today. Tomorrow is another day._

_Believe in yourself, Noelle...! Prove yourself!_

She remembered Kahono's smile, the pinky promise they made.

“... I’m...” Swallowing, the young Black Bull strengthened her voice. “I’m not weak anymore, Solid.

“We’re winning this tournament, got it?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Formally Crystal, Mars' magic is changed to Mineral.


	33. Royal Knights Exam - Part 2: It Wasn't a Mistake

There was a kid sitting by himself on a bench. The kid wasn’t exactly alone, really, since this anti-bird was perched on the very top of his head, but… 

Zora looked around.

After a few, lazy azure eyes gazed back at the kid. If the kid’s guardians were nowhere to be seen… Stepping forward, the teen invited himself to take a seat at the other end of the bench. He noticed the bird seemingly getting on guard, but he brushed the thought away.

“The Rainbow Stink Bugs are pretty easy to find. They’re more common at the Forsaken Realm, though. Ain’t got a lot of magic in themselves, so their stench probably came to be as a defense mechanism, yeah? Y’know. The way to keep themselves safe.”

A bright morning of Kikka was a good Kikka. While it was, there were always still the underlying dangers even during a serene day. Clover Kingdom’s Order of Magic Knights were full of bullshit. Money, fame, and the abuse of power. Take a look at this place, for example: nothing was done about the black markets on the city’s underbelly. Heck, Magic Knights themselves loiter there in the first place, no?

And what about nailing your own comrades at the back of their head? Harassing civilians and helpless elders? Harassing folks in the name of “public duty?” Magic Knights, idols of toxicity for this stupid, godawful country. 

“And will anything ever change unless you do it yourself? Hah.”

A gentle gust of wind brushing by, the young man closed his eyes.

“It’s sickening.”

Azure eyes later noticed the emblem etched on the kid’s headband, and a cackle escaped Zora’s throat.

Just a few weeks ago, Yami Sukehiro tossed him a Black Bull robe.

* * *

The next few matches steadily produced winners for the second round. Winning his own, Yuno recognized that his team would be fighting Noelle’s next. They would definitely have to watch for the spell she had used... Sea Dragon’s Roar, was it.

A high-level and destructive offensive spell. Yuno thought back to their past joint mission.

_If she works hard, then it’s only natural that she would grow this much._

“Good job there, Yuno!” Finral said with an enthusiastic thumbs up. Yuno nodded as they made their way back to the audience platform. “It’s really reassuring to have you on the same team, ahaha~”

Expression unchanging, Yuno replied.

“Finral, sir. It’s reassuring to have you, as well.”

Finral blinked in surprise. Following closely behind, Ben Benfunk, their other teammate, made a small nod in agreement.

“Both of you possess high-level skills. I hope to learn a lot by working with you two, and I promise not to drag the team down.”

A second or two later, the spell of shock broke. Gathering himself, the Spatial Magic user quickly nodded with the clearing of his throat. “Eh-wh-ah… T-thanks! Likewise! Sir Ben, you’re really dependable, too, so don’t worry about it!”

Ben nodded again, and this time, there was a small smile on his face. “Of course.”

They had fought against Team C, which consisted of Dmitri Brint, Gaston, and Alecdora Sandler, a senior member of the Golden Dawn. As Finral's suggested, Yuno took the position of guarding the crystal. Ben Benfunk was able to destroy the enemy target with the use of Finral's spatial portals.

Reflecting on the battle, while Yuno had his own plans and strategies, Finral was undeniably dependable. Magic control and pristine accuracy… Not to mention a senior member of the Black Bulls. Since Yuno had Bell, he wasn’t required to think _too_ much about it, but magic control was truly important. Climbing the Yultim Volcano helped a lot, and after the weeks of training he had prior to this exam, together with Mimosa and Klaus…

 _… Depending on the opponent, perhaps I’ll be able to use_ that _spell._

"Ah! My Meal Saving Prince!" Yuno paused and turned his gaze downwards. 

Oh. Charmy.

The match next was Team E against Team F. It was a close fight, the winning team being F. Cresc, Winry, and Adrian… The tactics they used were smart. Yuno nibbled on the cupcake the Cotton Magic user offered him.

Now that he thought about it, this cupcake here… And then muffin Charmy gave him at Kiten. They weren’t like the food she offered him the first time they met, where it recovered his mana almost immediately. Yuno remembered something about a “head chef,” but he wasn’t sure. Either way, the cupcake tasted good.

The kids would like it.

Langris Vaude stepped forward. Alongside Fragil Tormenta of the Aqua Deer and the Black Bulls’ Magna Swing, it was the match between their team, Team H, and Team G. 

The Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn was wearing a pleasant smile. Walking directly past Finral, the younger barely spared a glance at his older brother.

"Well. Let's do this, shall we?"

Fragil was one thing, but Magna was visibly on an edge. Given Langris' personality, however, Yuno could understand why. Not to mention that he was the Black Bull’s comrade’s sibling, Langris wasn’t exactly the most pleasant person to work with...

Yet in the end, it was an undeniable fact. 

"Hm~ So Snow Magic and Flame Magic. It seems we lack mobility, but that is quite alright. Lady Fragil, I'm leaving the crystal with you. Magna, is it? Hm…"

There was a reason why the Spatial Magic user was Vice Captain.

The match ended almost in a flash. As Magna _only_ began to cause a distraction to catch the other team’s attention, neither side actually had the chance to do anything before Langris dragged his hand across the air. 

Vice Captain Langris’ presence wasn't that big. Despite his magic and power, his frame was still small—it was hard to notice him in the battlefield until he finally joined the fight. According to their captain, Yuno recalled, Offensive Spatial Magic was also rare. 

Looking closely, Team G was probably alert about Langris’ position as Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn; however, just being alert wasn’t enough. 

Langris was considered an unknown to enemy forces. In truth, Magic Knights weren’t that well acquainted with other Magic Knights’ abilities either.

Team G’s crystal shaved in half, the nobleman remained smiling. His teammate, Magna, instead had a visible look of graveness on his face.

There was an outbreak of murmurs, and at that… The referee raised his hand.

"The crystal has been destroyed! Team H advances to the next round!"

Yuno gazed ahead.

"You know…" Langris commented the moment his team returned to the audience platform. If observed closely, the physical resemblance between the two brothers could be seen clearly.

“In the end, you are still just transportation. If we come to clash…” A chuckle. 

“Careful not to stand in the way of my magic, yes? After all, I can’t guarantee that you won’t lose _everything_.”

… Back at Kiten, Langris’ Spatial Magic would shave through both enemies and parts of the city. It came to Yuno that due to the nature of his magic, actually controlling the damage it should cause was near impossible. Magic control… 

“If that happened, Mother and Father aside, _she_ would be sad, no?”

Something that Finral possessed while his younger brother didn’t. 

Yuno quietly watched the exchange between the two brothers. 

“... I know,” Finral replied. Chest raised, the older of the two continued. “And that’s why I’ll defeat you.”

"He really has a snobby attitude, doesn't he," Bell commented nonchalantly. A bored look was on her face.

"His magic is off the charts, though, for a human like him. Well, not like it matters. I can't wait for it to be your turn again, Yuno! Use my power, got it?!"

A beat later, Yuno averted his attention to the next match about to be held.

“You can’t be serious,” he only commented.

Bell pouted playfully.

* * *

Mimosa’s team consisted of herself, a Silver Eagle named Nils, and X. X, however, turned out to be Rill Boismortier, the Captain of the Aqua Deer. Everyone was extremely surprised, but… Well, the Wizard King eagerly allowed his participation, and what occurred next was another type of disaster.

“Captain Rill rushed away on his own,” Mimosa said with a twinge of irritation, “but that’s alright… I heard about his magic. _Painting_. I bet he requires a lot of space for creativity, so we’ll let him do what he wants for now!”

Grimoire flipping open, the familiar Flower Guidepost was summoned as vines quickly yet carefully wrapped around their crystal—

“The enemy team’s crystal is behind that hill! Sir Nils!”

“Y-yes!”

An explosion of paint, ice, and fire. Rill’s butler, Walter, pumped up his fist enthusiastically. 

“Hm…” Rill Boismortier hummed. Tapping his cheek with a finger, the Captain of the Aqua Deers squinted at his creation. “The profile’s not quite there, yet!” 

“T-Team I advances to the next round!”

The Captain of the Aqua Deer finally successfully dragged away, the next match, Team K (Hamon, Brad, and Eric) versus Team L (Luck, Klaus, and Puli), was able to begin.

Glass broke through and nearly pierced ahead, but it was met with steel and Klaus hollered with much vigor and strength.

An explosion of lightning, feathers, and magic. 

“ _Let’s GO!!!_ ” Luck, Klaus, and Puli screamed together, and Luck made the final, piercing blow.

“Team L advances to the next round!”

“Great job, Klaus!” Mimosa congratulated the older as Klaus made his way back to the platform. Now that Mimosa and Klaus won both of their respective matches, they would be going against each other for the next set.

“I won’t hold back,” the Steel Magic user said as he pushed up his glasses. Responding with a chuckle, Mimosa’s face soured the moment her brother, Krisch Vermillion, bloomed onto stage. 

The next match… Team M (Krisch, Sol, and Leopold) versus Team N (Borja, Kyle, and Rubens).

“Ahahaha~!” Krisch laughed as he spun around on his toes. “My fellow royal cousin, let us combat our foes and immerse them with the beauty of our magic!!”

“U-uh… Sure!” Leopold’s former enthusiasm had dimmed down a little.

Eyes of gold watched the battlefield carefully. Not only was Yuno keeping track of the magic use of potential opponents, he was trying to learn as much as he could from seniors and peers alike. The man down there was a Vice Captain. He had a completely different battle strategy than Langris, and due to his expertise, Team M won by a landslide.

It seemed that Leopold had become much better at using Mana Skin, the last Yuno remembered. Since the Flame Magic user was also fighting alongside a familiar face, the team was probably able to get quickly put together… Vice Captain Krisch’s experience aided them greatly. Sol was quick to listen and adapt, as well.

As Mimosa’s brother continued to laugh away, Yuno turned to the other direction. The amount of flower petals he was producing was getting ridiculous...

Blinking slowly, a familiar black feather drifted past the young teen’s eyes. 

Nero. If Yuno remembered… Asta’s anti-bird companion. The bird flew and landed on the top of Charmy’s head, its deadpan eyes gazing straight ahead. The last match of this round was about to begin.

Team O versus Team P.

Asta’s team.

* * *

Sekke Bronzazza recognized the kid immediately. It was _that_ kid… The one with the Black Bull headband. _The kid_ who had a bird attack him during the Star Festival a few years ago. _The kid_ who kept haunting him during his early teens, and then most recently, the encounter at Kikka’s blackmarkets and Raquey’s trauma-infused beaches.

 _That_ kid.

Looking closer, that kid, Asta, was actually _really_ small. But then again, there was also that little girl from the Black Bulls, too, right? The girl who took a seat on the Wizard King’s lap so nonchalantly, eating away food. Maybe it wasn’t that big of a concern—people came in with all shapes and sizes, after all.

Though… Not only that he looked small, everything about the kid… It was just meek. Sekke pursed his lips. The Black Bulls _did_ win first place in the Star Awards, but…

...

Well. On that note.

How in Clover’s three leaves did Sekke end up at this exam.

_Crap, oh crap! They’re all really tough, I’m super sure that it’s way too early for me to be here, ba-hah!!_

Sekke Bronzazza, Fifth Class Junior Magic Knight, was having yet another existential crisis of the year. In a team with Asta and… Xerx Lügner (the Vice Captain of the Purple Orcas sure looked intimidating, and didn’t he insult the Wizard King earlier?!), Sekke had to make sure he could at least survive this entire ordeal.

Yes… Survive this entire ordeal. That was right. Both teams stationed at their starting points, Sekke glanced at the crystal floating behind them.

Captain Jack had on a whim sent him to this exam, but Sekke supposed he just had to go through with it!

“... Uh,” glancing back to his teammates, the young Green Praying Mantis scratched the back of his head. “I suppose… Let’s first share with each other what our magic is, ba-hah? So we can, uh, think of a strategy or something. Yeah?”

Silence.

“... I have Bronze Magic, ba-hah.”

Silence.

 _… Aren’t you a Vice Captain?!_ Sekke screamed in his head. _The match’s about to begin, but we have no plan! I have a feeling the kid can’t really talk, so how are we supposed to communicate?! What are you doing just staring at the kid?!_

Months into his career as a Magic Knight, Sekke heard various things—gossips, rumors, you name it. He never paid too much attention to them—too busy trying to get himself together—but he did hear of many nasty things regarding the Purple Orcas. When the brigade suddenly changed Captains, the rumors skyrocketed then died down, but still.

_Is this guy even okay?!_

Almost as if hearing his thoughts, Lügner’s azure eyes snapped to where Sekke stood, and the younger Magic Knight immediately jumped. Lazy eyes that were blue… They were insanely cold and piercing. 

But Sekke already had multiple (one) near-death experiences. This was nothing compared to the time fifty people were splayed across the shore, nothing like that beast of despair.

So Sekke tried squaring up his chest.

… Though the moment he tried doing that, there was a sudden burst of magic. Something grazed past the very top of their crystal, and Sekke’s heart nearly jumped out of his throat.

“The other team—!” There was only the slightest crack on their crystal. Despite the panic in his veins, Sekke’s eyes did not spot a fatal blow—

Asta turned on his feet. Stepping past his teammates, Sekke and Lügner stared after him. A shabby looking grimoire was following closely behind the boy… Asta’s grimoire.

Before another magic bullet had its chance to hit, a jet black blade immediately whacked it away. A jet black blade… From the kid? Something ominous crawled up Sekke’s back.Shaking his head, the young mage quickly snapped out of it.

_If the crystal gets destroyed, then it’s game over!_

“Bronze Creation Magic: Sekke Magnum Cannon Ball!” Piece by piece, their crystal was quickly covered with a layer of transparent blue. As long as Sekke had enough magic, then it would be difficult for the other team to break through!

“V-Vice Captain Lügner!” 

Vice Captain Lügner was not doing anything. Him and his toothy mask was just standing there, a look akin to amusement on his face. Sekke felt his irritation spiking.

Amusement… _Seriously?!_

The jet black blade abruptly moved again. It deflected another magic bullet, and at that moment, Asta bent down and took a leap forth. Dashing forward, the kid was heading towards the direction where the magic bullets kept coming from, and it honestly surprised Sekke how fast he could run. Was Asta planning to attack the other team—and potentially their crystal?

“Well,” Lügner commented nonchalantly. “Let’s just see what he’ll do.”

Sekke choked.

* * *

_So he was a Black Bull all along,_ Zora thought as he watched the kid, Asta, dashed forth. As for the guy shaking behind him… Zora wasn’t expecting much from the fella, but it turned out that he had a few good spells in his arsenal. The crystal was completely covered; however, Zora was not sure about the shield’s durability. That guy got to be at least a commoner, probably had more mana then Zora himself.

Hopping onto higher ground, Zora looked around. He couldn’t sense the boy at all, but he managed to find him in the end. Spotting the kid dashing forth, he noticed how he nearly ran into one of Zora’s trap spells. He didn’t though, which was good, but the blackened blade he was holding grazed past it.

_… The trap got nullified. An ability that nullifies other magic? I don’t feel any mana from him in the first place._

_What’s a kid like him doing with the Magic Knights since years ago?_

That kind of kid was hard to forget. A kid with the Black Bulls’ insignia, no less. Zora remembered the boisterous yells of the so-called Worst Magic Knights, Kikka was in a mess because of them that day. 

Glancing at where the Wizard King should be, azure eyes narrowed. He couldn’t see the famous Julius Novachrono from where he stood, but if he could... Zora supposed the old man was smiling. 

“D-did he reach them?” Sekke or something said after securing the crystal behind a boulder. It wasn’t a smart move if the other team had Earth Magic or the like, but at least he had the sense to hide the target immediately. 

Then again, there was also magic detection. It might be a better choice if the ball thing was made a decoy instead, seeing both that and the crystal had magic radiating off of them. It all depended on how the strategy should be used, though.

Zora averted his attention back to the kid. He got to the tower up ahead. The enemy team… They were probably hiding there—

Something black flickered. The blackened blade raised, and a tendril—not magic, something… Something different—formed. It formed, and…

Like a whip, the darkness sliced down diagonally. 

Zora stared.

The enemy team’s Magic Knights, two who were huddled up there with their crystal (that was no doubt sliced with the building as well), also stared. Their last member had been trying to sneakily get to the other side, but all movements paused when he heard the ominous sound of bricks crashing into the floor. 

… The upper part of the tower had slid off, and Zora wondered how the two Magic Knights there were completely safe and sound.

Tendril retracted, the blackened black went back into the kid’s grimoire. 

“Team P’s crystal has been destroyed! Team O advances to the next round!”

There was a distant burst of cheering. Zora almost wanted to laugh, because of _course_ it was the Black Bulls cheering for their guy, and _what the heck_.

_That kind of power in a frail brat?_

_Enlisted as a Magic Knight, no less?_

The Black Bulls cheered, and Team O returned to the platform. 

Julius Novachono was smiling.

“Well,” turning away, the Wizard King spoke to the masses. “All those matches were brilliant! I can’t wait for the next set, but before that! Go ahead, you guys!”

As the entire battlefield began to morph, the young Ideale narrowed his gaze. Julius Novachrono remained unfazed, and the moment the knights assigned to help out with the tournament gave the cue, the Wizard King nodded in return.

“The second round shall be fought in this field! Let the first match begin!!”

Team B versus Team D. 


	34. Royal Knights Exam - Part 3: Already Know That

“The term _ki_ originates from Mister Yami’s homeland, but with enough practice, anyone’s able to use it. And I guess… Ah!” Finral smiled brightly.

“Ki’s kind of like the Black Bulls’ specialty!”

Before and after her very first mission, Finral told Noelle about ki. They trained at the forest near the hideout, and Anti could be found standing beside a tree.

His eyes were dull and downcast. Noelle tried focusing on the motion of the leaves.

… Among everyone in the Black Bulls (aside from Captain Yami himself), only Finral and Luck were able to use ki closer as a second nature. Luck had a knack in fighting and mana detection, so he got the hang of it rather quickly when it was first explained to him. As for Finral, even the Spatial Magic user himself was surprised about it.

He didn’t like fighting, after all.

Accuracy aside, ki was Finral's specialty. Noelle was aware of that fact, and that was why...

“So, that’s your plan?” Solid said blandly. Noelle swallowed nervously before nodding.

En, who was smiling at the side, made the young royal think of Rebecca. They actually met for a short bit during the Star Festival, but as Rebecca was busy earning money for her siblings, Noelle decided not to take too much of her time (before getting dragged away by Lady Mereoleona). 

They had the same gaze, really. Hearing a huff from Solid, Noelle quickly continued.

“Yuno is strong. You saw it for yourself—he can cast spells within another’s, and I know he can cast multiple ones at the same time. He also has the mobility, not to mention with Finral in their team...”

“Mobility,” Solid narrowed his eyes, “and then the damn peasant’s attack power.”

“Yes. So in other words, it’s best if we stick together.”

A groan. “And how do you expect if that peasant just does it again? That spell-within-a-spell tactic.”

Lips pressed together, Noelle raised her gaze. 

“... It’s still worth the gamble.”

There were many things they had to be wary of. Yuno barely used much of his power at his first match, where he only had to protect his team’s crystal. Alecdora Sandler tried challenging him, but he posed no real threat towards his junior. Yuno didn’t even have to use his spirit’s power.

As for the other two… Against the Team C, Ben Benfunk destroyed their crystal with the expert use of Finral’s Fallen Angel Gates. Finral made sure none of the enemies’ attacks would hit his teammate, rapidly getting him closer to their target. 

In other words, they did not show half of what they were capable of—in terms of power, that was. Their teamwork and strategic thinking, however, was presented very well. Noelle supposed that was a plus for this exam in particular, where teamwork was essential.

_As for us…_

The first match was a bit embarrassing, but Noelle refused to regret anything. She managed to keep up with Solid by reinforcing her legs with magic, and their crystal was guarded safely by En’s abilities. If they continued winning, they would be able to show more promise in potential teamwork. 

_We just have to win against Finral’s team._

… It was a lot being asked for. 

Though, there was still a bit of surprise. Noelle didn’t expect Solid to listen—not that easily, at least. 

_But no,_ the thought came to mind. _It wasn’t easy_. 

Glancing at her brother, Noelle tried observing his ki. 

…

Well.

The two teams were set up and ready. Carefully adjusting the grip on her wand, Noelle gazed ahead.

_Alright, now._

_Let’s do this._

* * *

Before they left for the battlefield, the two teams had faced each other. It was an exchange between two Black Bulls, Yuno thought, and Noelle haughtily flipped back a pigtail. 

_No pulling back punches, alright?_

Rubbing the back of his neck, Finral laughed goodnaturedly.

_Of course!_

Noelle glanced at En. Eyes meeting, the older Magic Knight gave an encouraging nod of approval. She nodded back, and readying themselves, they waited for the referee to make his call.

Finral didn't like fighting. He didn’t, but he had the brains for strategy. As long the Spatial Magic user had a clear view and sense of the battlefield, he was unstoppable.

 _And that's why we'll retaliate with_ that _._

"Begin!"

Solid's magic flared into life. Water swishing, a great eagle formed right beneath the three's feet. Their crystal secured well in En’s care, the team shot forth to where the other team should be.

Judging from the ki, they must have noticed—

Yuno noticed.

A white arrow of wind was right at their faces.

_Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon’s Cradle!_

The wind could not pierce through Noelle’s shield. More came, but the Water Eagle and Cradle continued to charge forth, breaking through the barrage of attacks. 

_I can see them_. Yuno was right up ahead, feet off the ground with the push of his magic—the crystal, it was by his side.

Something tingled at the back of Noelle’s neck.

“En!”

Very quickly, fungi grew at a rapid rate. The ground beneath them and surrounding was slowly swallowed by the little mushroom friends, and they began to run around. Eyes narrowed, Yuno raised his hand.

Wind rushed violently. Some mushrooms went flying—

Suddenly, something hit the Cradle hard. Noelle glanced to the side, and there was Ben Benfunk with his Copper Magic. He got up here by a Fallen Angel Gate…

 _That means Finral can’t open a portal within this space,_ Noelle realized, and her mind clicked—what about Yuno’s?

Solid dispelled the Water Eagle. Conversation of mana, for the Cradle could float and move in midair. It wasn’t as fast as Solid's spell, so they first used the Eagle to close the distance between them and the other team.

“... Then how about this,” Yuno raised his arm, and the pages of his grimoire rapidly flipped.

_Wind Magic: Towering Tornado._

Spatial Magic took Ben Benfunk away, and wind burst into life beneath Noelle’s spell. The entire Cradle was enveloped by wind. 

Bell pouted. “Yuno, come on! Use my power, too!”

 _Without the spirit’s power, he can’t break through my spell_ , Noelle thought. _I can’t use all of my power here, but if I do, he might not be able to break it open._

_But that’s not what we’re looking for._

Noelle didn’t expect Solid to listen. While she didn’t, she decided not to comment on it. Her family was prideful—it was best to use this chance and fight together rather than bringing in more reasons for arguments. 

She never argued with them, though. As the youngest (and least capable), she was never in the position to talk back… 

But now, it was different. 

Solid listened, and he was actually _working_ with her. He _hated_ working with people.

Noelle bit down a smile.

Wind dying down, lavender pink eyes kept its gaze ahead. Without looking, she could tell. Debris was in the air, and now…

“Bell,” Yuno murmured, and Noelle breathed in.

“Now!”

Before the tornado formed again, the Cradle burst apart. A solid beat later, the fungi left behind began to spew out spores. 

_A smoke screen with countless flying debris._

Ben emerged from behind. And with a makeshift broom—a tree branch they prepared before the match began—Solid quickly flew the other direction, the crystal secured right at his back.

Solid formed another Eagle right beneath Noelle’s feet. 

“You idiot, go—!”

The Eagle taking off, Noelle chased after Yuno, who immediately began flying to the other direction. As a Wind Magic user, speed was only natural, but…!

Biting the inside of her cheek, Noelle raised her wand.

She yelled.

“Oh no you don’t!” 

And a Cradle formed right around him… Him and the crystal both. A smaller one, very condensed.

Yuno was unfazed. The Four Leaf grimoire flipping to the next page, he murmured once again.

“Bell.”

_Wind Magic: Swift White Bow._

Bursting the Cradle open, it was a lot easier than Yuno expected. Royals had tons of magic, so he wondered… 

A mushroom that somehow got beside him exploded. Spores.

 _It grew on me without me realizing. That En Ringard… He’s skilled_.

“Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon’s Cradle!”

Yuno broke it again, and before he could get a few meters away, another one formed. They were flimsy, no real strength behind them…

Each time the Cradle manifested, it was smaller than the one before. Yet it still surrounded him in rapid sequence—her precision. Yuno realized. It was getting better, faster—

Noelle pulled back her wand, and Yuno, who was once again entrapped by the Cradle that was barely large enough to fit both him and his crystal, was forcefully dragged towards her. With Bell’s help, he broke the sphere again.

Another explosion. Debris… 

She was right there.

Noelle was there. _Right_ there. Right in front of the other team’s crystal, and Solid’s spell was getting her even closer. Her magic charged. Yuno noticed her intentions, but he was too close as well. Too close to his crystal, because he was forced to get right beside it. Reckless action would cause damage, too compact—

 _Point blank range_ — _!_

“Water Creation Magic!” Noelle’s grimoire shined brightly. 

“Sea Dragon’s Roar!!”

… The Roar was something that could not be stopped. Even Yuno probably couldn’t do much about it, not at this distance at least. She could sense his panic—or at least, his version of panic. 

A spike of dull tension.

The Sea Dragon’s Roar being unstoppable was only a logical thought. The spell was an unceasing torrent that could bite through a spirit like Salamander, a dragon that could tear through even the arm of a vicious, mana-beloved beast. 

Adrenaline rushed, a mere split second passed. 

It was unstoppable, yes. At least it should be.

But... In the end.

Mana rippled.

Before the roar reached the crystal, it was as if time slowed down.

Lavender pink eyes widened.

…

… Noelle knew.

She had felt this feeling so many times, after all. This sensation… This ki. Back at the Underwater Temple, the Forest of Witches, she felt the same exact thing. The thing was… It was a presence that gave so much comfort and relief. Panic would be eased, and it was a presence that supported many. A presence that would say, “it’s okay, I got your back.

“You don’t have to worry.”

_Ah! Noelle, one thing about partnering up with Anti… Keep attention to the little movements. Don’t just rely on your ears and eyes. It might sound a little out of the world, but I promise! I’ll come to you eventually._

Leaves had drifted at the forest by the Black Bulls’ hideout. 

_Once you’re able to read ki, communication between teammates will become very efficient!_

A Fallen Angel Gate opened, and the crystal, protected by her teammates some distance behind her, was shattered by her own spell.

Noelle’s Sea Dragon’s Roar spun out of life. Water droplets… It was raining. Showering...

The rain stopped.

Huffing, Finral straightened his back. Light reflected off of purple irises, and the senior Black Bull lowered his gentle hands. The air was dense with the dregs of everyone’s spells. En’s smokescreen was also dissipating… Solid, who was only a little farther away, was out of breath. Gripping his arm with a hand, an injury he got fighting Ben Benfunk, he forced himself to swallow down any sign of disdain.

The Fallen Angel Gate closed. Noelle drew back her outstretched hand. 

“Team B’s crystal has been destroyed! Team D advances to the quarterfinals!” 

A soft exhale.

The Water Eagle carrying the Black Bull slowly descending, water swished away the moment the soles of her sandals touched the ground. The two teams stood face to face with each other. It was quiet.

Gentle sunlight shed upon the Magic Knights.

“... Well,” Noelle flipped a pigtail back. Raising her chin, a smile rested on her lips. Despite the exhaustion that quickly caught up to her senses, lavender pink eyes were bright and clear.

“You are my senior, after all. Congratulations.”

A beat later, Finral, her kind mentor, returned the smile. 

“... Yeah. Thank you, Noelle…!”

A handshake later, both teams made their way back to the audience platform. Yuno glanced back at the battlefield.

The next match shortly began.

* * *

Team H’s second match was no different from their first. Yuno could see the irritation within Magna Swing’s posture, and the Black Bull made a frustrated huff. 

The team did not have mobility. It didn’t, but Vice Captain Langris still dealt the finishing blow quickly. He was very skilled, and as for teamwork… He made sure every member of his team had their part to do, actually. 

_Ah, sure_ , Langris had said after Magna explained one of his techniques. He was wearing his usual pleasant yet unpleasant smile, and it was probably because of that did Magna found him so infuriating. 

_Let’s use that._

“... Uh, Magna,” Finral started the moment Magna returned, Team H victorious. The younger Black Bull shaking his head, he patted the older’s shoulder with his half-gloved hand.

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, Finral. My team, my problem. Doesn’t mean I won’t want to punch the guy in the face, but still.”

“Ah… Ahaha,” Finral swallowed. “ _Sorry_.”

“As I said,” Magna repeated, “don’t worry ‘bout it.”

As the Flame Magic user walked away, Yuno stared after him. 

The quarterfinals… And after that, the finals. 

“We’ll be fighting Vice Captain Langris’ team next,” Yuno commented. Finral nodded. 

“Yeah.”

Eyebrows furrowed, Ben Benfunk turned towards his teammates. 

“My affinity with Vice Captain Langris’ Magic is terrible… His magic would just shave mine away. Fragil usually guards the crystal, but… How well does Wind Magic go against Offensive Spatial Magic? If he’s going to attack like how he did the previous two rounds, that is.”

“I… I _do_ have a plan,” Finral voiced. “To get around his Spatial Magic. I’ll first have to test out something very quickly, but… That aside, Magna doesn’t back down without a fight. I’m not sure about Fragil, but as long we could get Langris away from his team’s crystal, then…”

A small pause, and then an exhale.

“But as he is your senior, I feel that Langris wouldn’t underestimate your abilities, Yuno.”

Yuno made a small hum. Watching as Mimosa, Klaus, and their respective teammates got into position, the young mage wondered how their match was going to unfold.

Team I versus Team L. 

“... I’m not sure how my attribute would go against Vice Captain Langris’, but if whatever you are going to test out works, we’ll go with that plan.

“If it doesn’t work, we can always improvise,” the Wind Magic user relaxed his shoulders. “We’ll still win, though. Our team will win. Your plan will work.”

Finral stared at Yuno.

After a little, a small, heartful chuckle left the Black Bull’s lips.

“... Right. We will.”

Confidence was one thing. Confidence in a comrade’s abilities was another. 

Trust. 

Yuno heard the whispers from the crowd. At the strength of Noelle’s Sea Dragon’s Roar, none expected for Finral to be able to port her spell away. Finral didn’t expect it to work, either. It was really a split second gamble.

Explaining his thoughts to Yuno, Finral recounted past experiences. Noelle’s magic was _insane_. The Spatial Magic user saw it first hand, how the Roar tore through tough enemies and _stronger_. He was proud of her, and again, Noelle’s magic was insane. He was afraid that her spell was going to tear up his and the crystal together.

Finral only had that much mana, after all. Yuno wasn’t too sure about magic theory, but he could understand where Finral was trying to get at. 

Yuno sank back to his own thoughts.

… Noelle had summoned Cradles after Cradles. They were flimsy and weak, but that was the point. She wanted to distract him so that he wouldn’t be able to leave, and in hindsight, he should’ve continuously used his wind so her magic wouldn’t be able to form around him. But either way… That aside, Solid and En were busy protecting the crystal, fighting against the tag team known as Finral and Ben. To ensure Noelle had the chance to destroy the target before theirs got cracked (as the Sea Dragon’s Roar was a surefire technique), Yuno supposed that the two from Team B thought it was better to join forces and give Noelle that opportunity.

However, she still used her magic beforehand. Cradles after Cradles, they must have drained her reserves. If the circumstances were different, and if Noelle was able to use _all_ of her magic behind that Sea Dragon’s Roar...

… It would totally be possible. For her magic to tear up Finral’s. But that was the thing—battles weren’t just two sides fighting in their best conditions. Battles… They were always hectic and in disorder.

Watching as Klaus and Mimosa fought, Yuno pondered some more. 

He decided to leave it at that.

* * *

“Oh, Yuno," a few weeks ago, the day after the Star Festival, Klaus spotted Yuno. He had disappeared the night before, and while Klaus wanted to go search the entire city for him, Captain Vangeance informed him that there were no need. Apparently, the young mage had gone to this training camp with a few others... Something about hot springs?

“Captain reassigned the mission?” Klaus nodded at Yuno’s inquiry. He was relieved of the younger's safe return.

“Us three will be attending the Royal Knights Selection Exam that will be held in a few weeks’ time. Captain Vangeance wants us to focus training for now…”

“Who’s now working on it?”

“Ah. Letoile and David. They will be leading a team together.” 

“I see,” Yuno lowered his gaze. “Is there more information updated on the missing magic items?”

Mimosa chuckled. “Yuno really wants to continue that mission, huh!”

Expression still bland from any emotion, Yuno merely deepened his frown. 

“I don’t like leaving assignments halfway done.”

“Well,” Klaus pushed up his glasses. “Trusting Captain Vangeance’s judgement aside, all of the Golden Dawn’s Magic Knights are very capable, Yuno. David might sometimes… Well, you know him, but Letoile will definitely keep the team on track. As for your question, yes, we have received information from the Magic Investigation Department.

“The magic items stolen are relics found in one of the past conquered dungeons. They are used for entrapment and camouflage... Invisibility. It functions like a curtain, if you would, that breaks mana signals. In other words, it traps whatever should be contained inside as if in another dimension; if magic is used in the inside, outsiders cannot detect them. However, the department had already disabled most of its functions, so it is easier to break open the curtain when activated. We’ve confirmed that rogue nobles were indeed the culprits of the case, and there is a list of suspects. It is just a matter of locating them right now…”

Clearning his throat, Klaus met the other's eyes. “Does that help?”

Yuno stared at Klaus.

A beat later, he nodded.

“Thanks.”

“I’m your senior, so there is no problem.”

They began their way to the training grounds.

“The Magic Investigation Department made a few hypotheses on the magic item’s original purpose. Judging from the dungeon itself, the item might have been used as a last resort of a civilization, where they shielded themselves from… For example, warfare or natural disasters.”

“Oh… How large is the magic item’s space, anyway?” Mimosa wondered. “And I remember… The spell cannot be breached from the inside? Only people from the outside can break into it, and with that in mind... It doesn’t seem very effective as a shield, right?”

They made a turn as Klaus replied.

“I suppose it is most likely out of an act of desperation. To keep their own people alive, it is possible for ancient civilizations to seal them away to another space… Perhaps also making sure they wouldn’t leave that one place.”

“But what if they had to run?” Yuno spoke up. “What if someone attacked, and it was too late for them to get out?” 

“Well, before the department had disabled many of its functions, I suppose it was no easy task to actually break the shield apart. The magic item could originally be made to be permanent… But the facts itself are lost in history.

“We wouldn’t know the truth, but the Magic Investigation Department had intended to research it. Whatever that is learned from the magic item could be potentially used to create a more advanced magic barrier for the kingdom’s defences.”

“Huh,” and they stopped.

Turning around, Klaus nodded.

“Let’s begin.”

(“And wait a minute─Yuno! You just returned, didn’t you?! I’m not sure where you went, but you should go get some rest! Go, go!”)

(“You can’t be serious.”)

During the first week, they went through the basic spells in their grimoires. Afterwards, they experimented; what was the extent of their range? How else could they use the same spell?

During the second week, they went to the field. Yuno thought about Mana Skin, and observing her comrades, Mimosa tried to create an attack spell.

Bell watched from her spot on Yuno’s shoulder. 

“Ahh it’s not like that!” Mimosa jumped at Bell’s yell. The Sylph crossed her arms over her chest.

“If you’re going to use an offensive spell, then you have to stop thinking like a healer for a sec! What do you intend on doing with that spell, huh?! Pat someone on the back with it? Put more _oomph_ behind your intent! Your _intent_ , I’m telling you!”

Mimosa blinked dumbly. A beat later, the young Vermillion cracked into a small smile.

“Thank you, Bell.”

Klaus watched as they progressed, and...

“Borrowing this from the other team,” Luck licked his lips, “this combo magic will be both unblockable and unavoidable!”

Shuffling uncomfortable, Klaus tightened his fists. With his Steel Magic as the base, Puli’s Wing Magic a buff, Luck’s Lightning Magic was sharpened into a deadly arrow. Rapid charging… In the right direction. Luck grinned giddily as he sensed the other team noticing their intentions.

“Too late. This spell pierces everything, it cannot be stopped!”

The Lightning Arrow shooting forth, a thunderous crackle hit their ears. Eyes blown wide, Klaus stared after the power and speed of their union spell. He was taken completely off guard by the intense force crackling through the field. 

_A one-hit strategy. Will it work—?_

Luck suddenly got up and turned around. The Lightning Arrow had yet to reach the other team, but Luck… It was a split second choice _—_

“Not good!” Leaping over Klaus and Puli, he kicked their crystal to the side, forming one single crack at Klaus’ horror. The Lightning Arrow suddenly came back with equal force, crashing through the land that stretched behind them. Luck had narrowly dodged it by bending down, but the tips of his hair were burnt badly. 

The smile on Luck’s face widened, and a shiver ran down Klaus’ spine.

“Oh my,” Puli commented.

Their super-fast super-attack spell was reflected. 

“Ah hoo hoo~ Looks like you’ve avoided it!” Captain Rill giggled as paint swished beneath his feet. Right above him was… Klaus wasn’t sure, but most definitely, it had to be a spell of his. 

“ _The Game of Gods_ , yes! That is what I’m going to name it,” spinning his paintbrush around, Rill made a gleeful laughter. “But that’s amazing!! It was so fast! That’s some reflexes you got there! Kinda reminds me of Yami, actually! Ahh this is so fun!!

“Let’s paint some more!”

“Luck, take the crystal and run!” Klaus immediately yelled as he frantically turned the pages of his grimoire. Steel plates forming, he understood that he had to be careful. Giving Captain Rill inspiration was the last thing they wanted, just keep him subdued!

_Plant Magic: Magic Cannon Flower!_

A beam of energy shot straight past Klaus’ head, and Luck narrowly dodged it again.

“Captain Rill!” Mimosa called as she and Nils caught up with their teammate. “We’ll take care of our crystal, please do go ahead!”

Blinking in surprise, pink, curious eyes gazed widely at the Cannon Flower Mimosa summoned. A big smile forming on his face, Rill giggled again.

“Alright! It’s a game of tag, then!”

Luck chuckled.

“Ah…”

_Lightning Creation Magic: Holy Lightning Boots!_

Tucking the cracked crystal under an arm, bright blue eyes met his teammates’. A bad feeling swirled in Klaus’ gut.

“Good luck, guys!” Luck said with a bead of sweat rolling down his face. “Hit the crystal real hard!”

And a beat later, he took off. Rill went after him immediately, and now…

The four Magic Knights were left behind. 

_… We have to destroy the crystal,_ Klaus thought. He did tell Luck to run for it, but…

Against Rill by himself, was that even...

“We got this,” Puli said with comforting confidence. Feathers gathering, the Blue Rose had her feet leave the ground. “Luck’s depending on us, and it’s only the matter of time before he runs out of steam!”

_Wing Magic!_

“I’ll make a tailwind for you, go!”

_Steel Magic—!_

In truth, Klaus Lunettes was scared. It was a strange terror, and he felt relieved to have such dependable comrades by his side. Luck Voltia was a familiar face, they worked together before. Puli Angel… Oddly enough, her enthusiasm calmed his nerves.

Still… Still.

The dungeon was terrifying. The gazes of Hage’s people made him quiver. He was a mage working as a Golden Dawn Magic Knight for four to five years now, and yet he still was scared.

He began doubting his own abilities.

Nils Ragus, a Silver Eagle Ice Magic user. Manipulating his mana, Klaus called forth many lances. 

The ice broke immediately. Mimosa’s vines quickly wrapped up the crystal, pulling it away to safety.

“One more time!” Puli yelled, and Angel Flapping initiated, Nils pulled back an arm as a thick wall of ice formed. 

Klaus broke through the ice again.

The training they had throughout the weeks were recalled, and really… Klaus was proud of his juniors. 

There was a smile on Mimosa’s lips. Raising her hand, she jumped back as the great flower locked on.

“Plant Magic: Magic Cannon Flower!” 

Ducking, the Steel Magic user continued forth. Steel was good against Ice, for his lances would keep breaking through. 

_Almost._

_Almost!_

Klaus was scared, but this fear was natural. At least… He hoped it was. He already knew that death was normal working as a Magic Knight, and while the Magic Knights were the most honorable, the heroes of this kingdom, they were also the ones to charge head first into danger. 

Or rather…

Watching as Mimosa and Yuno continued to grow, he wondered.

…

_But if I can’t live up to their expectations, then what kind of teammate am I?_

_If I can’t stick through it to the very end, could I still call myself their mentor?_

Steel lance condensing, Klaus took another step forward. 

He might not ever catch up to those who were stronger. Even if he worked hard, he would still be defeated by those who worked harder—people who had the natural talent and pushed _further_. It was a reality check, because he was utterly pathetic during the battle at the dungeon. He wasn't of any help, and he could only watch as his comrades fell one after another.

But in the end...

_I already know that._

Gritting his teeth, one last stomp was made.

 _I already_ know _that!_

To be able to fight alongside Luck and Puli was a great honor. They worked well together.

“Steel Magic,” he yelled, “Blazing Spiral Lance!!”

Ice splintering, Klaus charged forth. His muscles burned in pain, and he brushed past his junior. The crystal was right there, just a small (so small) step more—

“Team L’s crystal has been destroyed! Team I advances to the next round!”

… Before his spell could even touch the target, the referee’s voice echoed through the stadium. 

Klaus could hear his own breathing loud and clear. Squeezing his eyes shut, he exhaled deeply.

“... Klaus,” he heard Mimosa say. Looking up to the younger, their eyes met.

He was tired, but...

“Congratulations,” Klaus began. Dusting off his uniform, he stood up straight.

A gust of gentle wind.

“Make the Golden Dawn proud, got it?”

Dust particles could be seen on the older’s spectacles. Klaus’ eyes… A light tone of magenta. From a distance away, a whine—from Rill, because he destroyed the crystal before he could finish his masterpiece—could be heard, and shortly after, a cheerful laugh from a cheerful Luck sounded. The young mage was fulfilled with a good, energetic fight… It was more than he could ask for, Klaus realized. 

There was nothing to be ashamed of.

A bright smile brought to her lips, Mimosa nodded.

“Of course!”

The young Vermillion watched as Klaus did some muscle training. Ever since the dungeon mission, he had been working and developing on both mind and body. How he got motivated to do so… Well. 

Breathing in, she turned her gaze at the stretching fields. The Golden Dawn’s headquarters could be found on the horizon, a large silhouette among hills. Catching a glimpse of glittering sunlight, Mimosa squinted in the slightest way.

There was a theory. If one should run out of magic… Then they wouldn’t be able to continue fighting, nevertheless obtain reinforcements. If one should run out of magic, then logically, it would be the end.

It didn’t have to be.

She remembered how Noelle pushed her out of danger when a barrage of crystals came charging in their way. Her cousin at the time lacked magic control, but she still possessed the drive to never give in. And then there was Asta... Asta, who was hurt and struggled in moving. Watching as that magic-less body fight harder than anybody else, _anyone_ would be inspired. 

There was so much more in the world than just magic. There was so much more, and Mimosa acknowledged it. 

At the face of sheer obstinacy.

Yuno walked up to his fellow Golden Dawn Magic Knights. The next match was in preparation to be held, and one by one, the sound of his boots hitting stone floor could be heard. Bell hovered by his head, and Mimosa slowly blinked.

“It was a good battle,” he commented, and Mimosa and Klaus both stared at him.

They stared at him, and as Klaus quickly pushed up his glasses in a bashful manner, Mimosa broke into another soft chuckle.

Yes…

At the face of sheer obstinacy, as Magic Knights.

Pride.


	35. Royal Knights Exam Final Part: Everything Will Be Okay

The next match, also the second round’s last match, was held accordingly with Team M and Team O. Recalling Team O's previous battle, while the Vice Captain of the Purple Orcas was a bit peculiar...

“Flame Magic: Spiral Flame!”

Runes emerged and formed a magic circle. Eyes of turquoise widening, Leopold quickly kicked himself to the side, avoiding as much of the deflected attack as possible. Flames barely singed his cloak; too close to comfort.

"Trap magic…" Klaus murmured. _And for something that high-leveled._

_As expected of a Vice Captain, I suppose._

Leopold’s attack was returned twice the power. 

"Fall at the beauty of my magic!!" Vice Captain Kirsch exclaimed as flower petals shot forth. It reminded Klaus of Puli's Angel Flapping, but the differences were visible. Kirsch’s magic was more trained and flamboyant. As he was royalty… The quality of the spell itself was on a more advanced level. As Sekke Bronzazza made an _eep_ before ducking away with the armored crystal, a step was made by Asta who was accompanied by his grimoire.

Kirsch was careful. When a stream of Anti-Magic came whipping through, the flower petals parted and quickly joined back together. He didn’t underestimate Asta, Klaus realized, and the royal made another tactical attack.

… Thinking back, it had been a while since Klaus saw Asta on the battlefield. First was against the Diamond Mage, and then later on, when the Royal Capital got attacked… Klaus could affirm. Asta had sense in fighting, and the older was glad at the sight of his now much healthier form. Apparently, the Black Bull had gotten critically injured after a mission, and as Yuno wasn’t a person of words, Klaus really had no clear details on Asta’s wellbeing at the time.

(“Asta’s injured?! _Again_?!” Klaus yelped in horror as Yuno made a nod.)

(And a solid minute after the nod, the younger turned around and walked away.)

But still, Klaus was relieved. He looked healthier than ever before.

There was the familiar sound akin to shattering glass. Team O won with a fatal attack by Vice Captain Lügner, catching everyone off guard. Lügner wasn’t done, though, and a verbal beatdown was made on the other team—Sekke Bronzazza looked absolutely mortified as the Purple Orca continued his banter.

Xerx Lügner… His words bite a lot. From his abrupt and rude appearance to this present moment, Klaus couldn't read him at all. 

He wasn't sure if he even wanted to.

Pushing up his glasses, the Steel Magic user pondered. Quarterfinals… Mimosa’s team would be fighting Asta’s, and at that thought, he shivered. Captain Rill’s magic was very impressive, but he wondered how well the creative Picture Magic could go against something like Asta’s Anti-Magic. If anything...

Shaking his head, he turned his direction to Asta’s team as they returned to the platform. The Black Bulls were already by his side along with Mimosa, and at that...

At the corner of his vision, Klaus caught a glimpse of Leopold Vermillion.

Mimosa’s cousin, he thought. There was this strange, almost solemn look on the Vermillion's face. It was a huge contrast to his usual enthusiastic self, but then again… Klaus wasn’t in any position to intrude.

The Royal Knights Selection Exam’s quarterfinals were about to begin. This time, the battlefield remained unchanged, and the two teams prepared to depart. There was no need to say “good luck” or “do your best” as Klaus watched Yuno take off. 

Team D versus Team H.

Unlike the beginning of the exam, the vice captain did not say anything to aggravate the other team. Both teams went into position, and soon, they were merely dots on the field ahead.

The battle began.

…

Once again, thinking back. Sometimes, even should he try his best, even with sheer obscenity... At the face of something far too great, there was really nothing much that could be done by the weak. 

Klaus didn’t expect the battle to end the way it did, and he didn't know how Yuno felt about it as well. Yuno was always competitive, and natural talent aside, it seemed that nothing was ever enough regardless how hard he trained. 

Klaus remembered.

And at this sight of the darkening sky…

He wondered. 

Things could have been a little different.

Things really could have been different.

* * *

Vice Captain Langris was not a pleasant person. It was almost a given fact, and even though brigade members tried to keep their mouths shut around him, the gossips were still ever present. 

_Just don’t get in his way_ , was the advice that Yuno received. Not from Klaus, but from another more timid peer. Long, dull green hair with its ends tied with a carefully woven string, the man made a small sigh. 

_Despite his personality… He’s really levels above all of us. In terms of magic… And really everything._

_Okay,_ Yuno replied. They left it with that.

Changing perspectives, as one of the snobby Golden Dawn’s teammate, Magna Swing of the Black Bulls did not have a good image of “Finral’s Little Brother.” He was your stereotypical noble fella, and his personality was really annoying.

… Really annoying, because it was as if the snob was born to win any argument that was placed in his way.

_But that’s not all._

“Alright then,” Langris said in a way that made Magna want to chuck a fist into his face, “let us win this round as well.”

… During the first match, Magna saw how scary this guy could be. During the few minutes they could formulate some strategy, since that Fragil lady was softer spoken and patient, Magna decided not to run off on his own (felt bad, y’know). They discussed, and while Fragil didn’t have that many attack spells, her Snow Magic could sap the energy out of people (which was scary, y’know). Magna brought up one of his own spells, and half-expecting (no, totally expecting) Finral’s brother to go all noble on them, he was caught off guard when the nobleman just smiled.

_Ah, sure. Let’s use that._

Sometimes, Magna forgot that in the end, Langris was still Finral’s little brother. It didn’t mean much, of course, but… 

“Our Four Leaf peasant is in another league over you two,” Langris said without pulling any punches.

“As I mentioned, Langris probably doesn’t underestimate you, Yuno,” Finral pointed out as Yuno and Ben nodded.

“And since they have the means of mobility, from his Wind magic to Finral’s transportation,” teal eyes narrowing, a cruel smile formed instead, “this match is more about time.”

“Time is crucial,” purple eyes sighed, “I have a feeling that Langris would protect the crystal himself, but I doubt he can protect and fight at the same time… Do you remember how he fought at Kiten? He was alone—his magic worked best when he’s fighting alone. Even if Magna and Fragil is with him, they would be in the way instead. With that in mind, if those two were to attack, I could use my magic to defend our crystal. So in other words…”

“You have your own cards up your sleeve, don’t you,” Langris glanced at Magna, and the Flame Magic user straightened up his back. “But I doubt that much would have any effect. Yuno would just blow everything out of sight… And while that Crimson Lion King’s magic goes well against your Flame Magic, mine would just shave his away. So it would either be Yuno or Brother who will protect their crystal… But what could Wind Magic do against Spatial Magic?”

“He might try to destroy ours’ first before we have the chance to attack, leaving the crystal behind.”

“Is what they think, but I doubt Brother can do much against my magic.” 

Magna swallowed. Throat dry, he wasn’t sure what to say. The fact that Langris went ahead and talked so much, despite only giving them the simplest instructions during the previous rounds…

 _We’re at a disadvantage,_ was the message that Langris’ teammates received. Fragil took a shallow breath. 

“If… We hide the crystal well, and buy enough time… Would you be able to destroy the other team’s crystal, given that time frame?”

Teal eyes gazing at the Snow Magic user, Langris smirked.

“What do you take me for? I’m the Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn,” smirk dropping, it was as if he was glaring at the direction where Finral’s team should be. “I know what I am doing.”

_… Do you, really._

“Uh,” Magna began. “So… Y’know, since I’m in the same brigade as Finral and all… Don’t underestimate him, yeah?” 

Langris rolled his eyes.

“Since when do I?”

_Well._

“He’s got this sixth sense,” Magna decided to say. It was counterproductive to keep the Black Bulls’ specialty a secret, and while he _really_ didn’t want to tell Langris of all people, Magna understood that sharing intel was crucial. “And y’know, he’s very mobile. Not sure if anything can be done ‘bout your magic, but… Just keep that in mind, yeah?”

“Yes, yes. Of course.”

The urge to slug him in the face returned.

Keeping his temper in check, the young Rayaka peasant held back a sigh. Langris… It was hard to imagine that he was related to someone like Finral. Blood didn’t mean shit, but the thought was still there. Déjà vu. Magna recalled his first few days as a Magic Knight. Recruited as a Black Bull, his first assignment was to look after Asta with Luck. 

The instructions given were a simple schedule for the day. It wrote stuff like “lunch at twelve, change bandages at this time,” and so on. The only extra note was to be patient and gentle with Anti, and basically, “be his friend.”

Langris gave simple directions. His words were awfully (and surprisingly) clear, and they lacked fancy words that nobles (from what Magna understood) tend to blab all the time. The clarity made the shorter’s plan _make so much sense_ , and Magna… He couldn’t say he was not impressed. 

_No matter how different they are… They still come from the same place, huh._

Everything was ready. Placing a hand over his grimoire, Magna took a small breath.

The referee yelled.

“Begin!”

Fire covered their crystal at Magna’s command, and at the same time, Fragil set up a dummy-crystal covered with snow to bring with her. Reinforcing his legs with magic, the Black Bull set off running—the Aqua Deer doing the same.

Langris, who stayed behind, merely gazed ahead.

It was a layered strategy. Fragil was a noble, so naturally, she had more mana than the peasant. That also meant she had more means of protecting the crystal, but the other team should know that as well. Having Magna take care of the crystal was riskier; however, he was faster… This was an energetic bull with wild cards at his disposal. 

A gamble. 

Who would have the crystal, based on facts that both teams _knew_ the other side had? 

Langris took a step forward. Noticing a certain Wind Magic user cutting through air, teal eyes narrowed with the tense of his hands. The crystal was not with Yuno…

It was a battle against time. Assuming that Langris’ magic was unstoppable, the other team just needed to get to their crystal first—which they _could_ as they held the upper hand in mobility. On the other hand, if Langris chose to be the defensive, it would end up as an on-going battle where neither side could touch the other team’s crystal. Magna and Fragil were no match to Yuno, after all, and Finral’s magic—despite everything—was annoying. 

Langris pulled on the air. Mana twisting and tearing through space, eyes of gold widened a little before quickly dodging the invisible force. At that, Langris took off. Spreading his senses, his legs took him where he knew Finral should be.

And he found him.

He found Finral—and their crystal, which was armored with copper—quickly. Everything was processed quickly: no obstacles, light wind. A portal just vanished. Ben Benfunk was missing. 

Must had hopped away with Finral’s Spatial Magic. 

… So it was just them two, alone at this plain plateau.

“How idiotic, Brother,” Langris murmured under his breath, and with the flick of his hand—

A collision. Teal eyes widened as his grip on the mana slipped far, his Spatial Magic dissipating.

Nothing was left.

_It was countered._

“When Spatial Magic clashes, the mana currents collide and cancel each other out!” Finral stood by the armored crystal with this look on his face. It was an expression that Langris could not recognize, and he felt his heart pause—just for a second. “I already said it before, we’re defeating your team!!”

Tensing a hand, Langris threw another attack for it to only be canceled out again.

And again.

 _And_ again.

 _He’s got this sixth sense,_ the Black Bull had said. _Not sure if anything can be done ‘bout your magic, but… Just keep that in mind, yeah?_

“Ah,” the Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn lowered his gaze. “So are you planning to keep defending until my crystal breaks? Do you really think that would work?”

The Spatial Magic was canceled again.

“No, it might not,” voice loud and clear, Finral’s annoying hair that gained a shade of green was no longer hovering above his eyes. “And that’s why I’ll use a new spell!”

… For Spatial Magic users, spells were not a necessity. That was even more true for those with magic power exceeding. 

_But it’ll be nice if you could evolve even more,_ Langris remembered Captain Vangeance commenting. _You’re only seventeen, I’m sure you have more room to grow, no?_

A bright ripple of magic formed above Finral’s hands. It shot forth, but it was slow. Langris skipped to the side in evasion.

The spell followed.

_Homing._

Dragging his hand across the air, he quickly canceled it out. That was when his senses told him: there was another one. Langris turned around and tensed his hand—

_Another one._

Langris was dragged into the defense. He had no idea what that spell would do, what could it _possibly_ do with a caster like Finral, and Langris… He was dragged into the defense. His mind reeled.

The spell had striking resemblance to Langris’ own grimoire magic. 

Irritation gathered. Twisting on his feet, the Spatial Magic user brought his hand up before _clawing_ it down. Finral jumped at the action—he was quick enough to summon his magic, his “sixth sense” at work, but it was not enough. It shouldn’t be.

Ever since they were little, Langris had more mana than Finral. Finral’s magic wasn’t enough to shield against Langris’ at full power, so very quickly, the copper armor—

…

Ah.

Finral grimaced the moment the copper crashed onto the ground. Sweat lined his wrinkled face, but after a few, he quickly caught his breath. Langris’ magic barely scraped him, and as for the copper armor behind him, mostly shaved away...

An empty shell.

An empty… Shell.

 _The crystal wasn’t there,_ the younger registered.

_Finral never had the crystal. Yuno doesn’t have it either._

_Then..._

“... My job is to keep you here,” Finral began. “Offensive Spatial Magic… Even Yuno might have a tough time with that. But with things like this, there’s only so fast you can go. 

“Even if you try to get back to your teammates, I’ll bring you back here with my magic. I'm going to stay in your way for as long as I can.”

_Teleportation._

Langris’ mind was reeling. It was, or perhaps it wasn’t. His expression was unreadable, so Finral, standing merely a small distance away, straightened his back. Oh, Langris realized, and he felt a finger twitch. That was it. It was confidence. Finral gained confidence.

Confidence…

_But you’d be surprised how much they could look after themselves, along after others._

A blue sky. Captain’s World Tree covered the city, and he caught the sight of a familiar back.

Kiten… Was…

Something stirred.

_Who._

_Who are you?_

* * *

What Langris did _not_ know was Finral’s journey since becoming a Magic Knight. Likewise, throughout these years… Finral held no knowledge on the younger’s life nor the hardships he must have had to overcome as a First Class Senior Magic Knight. 

They were in the same position. At least, they should be. 

Ben’s copper armor slowly broke back into mana. Taking a breath, the next step… Finral had to keep Langris here as long as possible. Time had to be bought for Yuno and Ben to finish the job, and despite having mobility, they were not like the Golden Dawn’s Mimosa, who had a spell to figure out what was fake or real. Yuno’s mana detection and Finral’s own ki made up for that; however, it was more roundabout. Mimosa’s Guidepost was _immediate._

 _But it’s the same with Langris,_ was what Finral recognized. The younger couldn’t tell whether or not the copper armor was a fake, nor did he have any ability to find out. Mana detection could only do so much; the nature of the magic… Whether it was _crystal_ or _copper_ , it couldn’t be differentiated. That was what Finral theorized, at least for their current level.

_And it worked._

Biting down a smile, now all Finral had to do was put faith in his teammates. He was worried because he _knew_ that Yuno probably had plans of his own, but the fact that his teammates decided to trust _him_ … 

It was touching. Yuno and Ben were both reliable teammates.

Langris’ expression remained unchanged. Gaze not leaving the long-disappearing copper, the younger… He merely stared ahead. 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Finral found his voice. He didn’t have any attack spells, but he could nullify Langris’. He was the only one who could, other than Asta, because Anti-Magic _would_ work.

“And that’s why I’ll go with this.”

“... Huh,” Langris said after what felt like forever. He stood there, quietly, and…

An abrupt wince.

Langris jolted, an action sharp and unexpected. Right hand shooting up to clutch the side of his head, teal eyes were suddenly filled with—

_Pain._

Finral paused.

_Huh?_

The younger clenched his teeth. “Again and again… You constantly get on my nerves, Finral…”

Raising his left hand, the mana twisted at Langris’ command. The ki told Finral to brace for an attack, but before anything could happen—

A pang.

Something ominous swelled, a flicker of darkness. Another pang—Langris let out a choked gasp, his grasp on the mana quickly slipping.

“L-Langris?!” Finral immediately stepped forward. “Are you okay—”

“Oh _shut up_ , won’t you?!" Shaking his head, as if to get something out of his brain, the younger struggled to stand straight. " _Who’s worrying about who here…?!_ ”

Another pang.

“ _Ack_ —!”

“Langris!”

“I SAID SHUT UP—!”

_Crack._

A cold shiver immediately shot down Finral’s spine. It was as if a dam had broken, the unstable wall collapsing on itself. Something eerie… Sinistrous. Langris didn’t even look like he was aware of this odd energy coming from himself, and—

Finral paused again.

_… What?_

_This feeling._

_It feels…_

The Third Eye.

 _It’s the same thing as the Third Eye,_ Finral realized.

The sensation of something snapping… A strange, ominous darkness.

_Like Fana and Vetto._

That mana.

But…

_No, there’s something else._

Distantly, the Spatial Magic user thought he heard something. He didn't know that it was the announcement that the other team's crystal got destroyed, that Yuno and Ben succeeded. He didn't know that his team was going to advance to the finals, that they _won._ Nothing could be processed over Langris' presence—magic and ki alike—and neither could Langris himself.

Finral took a hesitant step forward.

There was this strange familiarity, and he tried to scan through his own memories. Something about this felt so— _familiar_ , and…

_Oh._

_Back at Kiten, he…_

His younger brother's taunts were recalled. Memories of Yuno's quiet heartbeat… Yami’s annoyance, and then how Charmy jumped up to yell in Finral's defense.

Memories of...

_... His head. Something about his head. Right before the Diamond guy attacked…_

_I remember._

_I remember very clearly._

“L-Langris, you… There’s something wrong, listen—”

“Shut up, _shut up!_ ” Finral flinched at his younger brother's scream. It was completely unexpected, because despite his sneers, Langris never _yelled_ —

“ _You threw it all away and left, you’re a coward who can’t even hurt people!! DON’T ACT LIKE YOU’RE ANYBODY’S BIG BROTHER, FINRAL!! DON'T ACT LIKE YOU CARE!_ ”

Both of Langris’ hands were clutching his head now, and there was a strange whine escaping the younger's throat. The ominous feeling continued to stir, and Langris' Magic—his grimoire—

_Why haven’t I noticed? Why haven’t I thought about it?_

A frenzy torrent. Spatial Magic manifested, and everything was getting shaved away—vanished into nothingness. Finral could barely register the eerie violet color nor how the clouds above began swirling gray. He could only feel the ki screaming, and it was screaming so _loudly_. The audience stirred—they noticed something was wrong as well, but he couldn't split his attention—not now. There was a thud. Langris was on his knees. He was only a shadow of his usual, professional self, and Spatial Magic and ki continued to scream. Eyes wide, Finral began to scamper towards him—

There was almost a panicked yelp. Langris shifted backwards, and reacting to his fright, the younger's mana turned its direction to Finral. The hostility… It was beyond anything the older had felt before—

A choked cry. Pain that was like thousands of needles stabbing the brain. 

"S-stay away, stay away from me—"

Droplets of tears were falling from wide, teal eyes.

Finral froze, and fifteen years ago, Finral's younger brother was in distress.

" _LEAVE ME ALONE!!"_

“ _LANGR—!_ ”

It became a high pitched noise. The world around them vanquished, and searing pain bled into white. Finral's ears weren’t working anymore. His eyes... Couldn’t keep up.

Couldn’t think—

Darkness.

Numbing pain…

Void.

The first and last time Langris made a mistake was when he was five years old.

It was a very insignificant one, but the bad feeling was still there.

He was afraid.

Very, very afraid.

“I found a neat place," an awkward, wobbly smile said. "Want to go play?”

Teal eyes stared.

… Was this really okay? A gentle hand took his, and Langris found himself tensing up. 

Second thoughts began to form. Why did he nod? Why did he follow, even though he should be returning to his room to review? Unlike Finral, Langris was good at studying, but that didn’t mean he should slack off, right...? He couldn’t risk making another error, no matter how small it could be. A Vaude noble should never make a mistake. A Vaude noble should never be in the wrong. A Vaude noble must always be right. Mother's voice was ringing in his head. This wasn't okay.

They weren’t supposed to take a break today.

Or tomorrow.

Or…


	36. Say Goodbye to the Good Times

“One more step, Anti!” A gentle hand was guiding him through the room. Bones creaking and muscles whining, the child tried dragging a foot forward. 

Brown hair… Purple eyes. The black cape that all the people here kept wearing. He wasn’t sure when it started, but the gentle hand became a constant. It was the morning. Breakfast was finished. Finral was always here. 

Finral reminded Asta of Fana. It was only a simple fact, but he couldn’t really… Think about it. It was like the world around him: the sunlight was warm and the sky was very blue. This “hideout” had many couches and the floor beneath his feet was stone and sometimes cold. He could hear voices and he could taste food. Asta _knew_ that, but at the same time, he didn’t. It was hard.

… Pain.

 _Don’t think about it,_ someone whispered.

_Not now. Just rest. Take a break. Heal. Don’t think. Don’t think. Don’t think. Don’t think._

His bones creaked again. Feeling himself wobble, Asta nearly toppled over. He didn’t meet the ground. The gentle hand caught him. The gentle had made sure that he wouldn’t fall down.

… Wouldn’t get hurt.

_Don’t think. Don’t think._

The voice was almost pleading, and at that moment, Asta was nearly able to recall the touch of gentle flames that eased the ache in his left shoulder. Left hand remaining in its solid grip, Asta tried to hold onto that feeling. The memory quickly faded, however. He couldn’t grasp it. He felt tired. Everything was slipping away, memories of Fana and Zell and—

_Don’t think._

“Hm… I think it might be enough for today,” very gently, Finral tapped Asta’s shoulder. His left shoulder. “Why don’t we sit down, Anti—”

Asta pressed forward. Feet dragging, he tried to take another step onward. Finral paused.

The gaze of surprise melted into a soft smile. 

Muscles whining, Asta dragged his feet again. The hollow voice that kept whispering in his mind quieted, as if receding to the shadows of Asta's mind, and over the pain that revealed itself to his awareness, the chirping of the birds outside became audible. He could hear the rustling of the leaves… Wind. He could hear the wind. He could feel the warmth of Finral’s hand.

_It’s so warm._

“... Alright, then. You can do it, Anti! One more step, one at a time!”

Unlike Fana, who was only a whispering memory, Finral was already here. Asta tried focusing on his voice. Focusing hard, the sense of pain that returned to his body became white noise.

 _One at a time,_ the kind person said.

 _One more,_ Asta thought.

Many years later and under this dark, swirling sky, the Black Bull gazed ahead. 

Eyes of green could only widen at the unspeakable, frighteningly growing dread.

* * *

Ben Benfunk took on the position of guarding the crystal. In order to keep Langris’ attention off of him, they added a red herring—the empty shell left behind in the guise of the “target.” With Ben caught leaving through a Fallen Angel Gate (the crystal was transported first), Langris would assume that the older Magic Knight was leaving to support Yuno… Or to attack in the search of the other team’s crystal. Team fighting wasn’t about how big of a role you played compared to your teammates. Every position was crucial, and one wouldn't be successful if it weren't for the other. Throughout these matches, Team D made sure to not show off too many of their cards. They did as much as they could with minimal techniques; but of course, they had to show they were _able_.

So Ben Benfunk took on the position of hiding away, and with Langris out of the picture, Yuno was enabled to use his energy on hunting the other team’s crystal. He did so swiftly, and finally catching Magna, he destroyed the target successfully.

The shattered crystal began to dissolve. There was a bitter grimace from the Black Bull before a sigh was made; Yuno watched.

“Yeesh, what a guy,” Magna rubbed the back of his neck. His shoulders… They did not slack. It was a simple gesture (or lack of), and with that, Yuno was reminded of the reason why he gained respect for the Black Bulls. “Just as Lady Noe said! You’re really strong, huh! And come to think about it, you’re from Hage, ain’t ya?”

Yuno blinked. 

“Yes,” he replied, and manipulating the wind, the young mage’s feet found the ground. They were now standing a small distance away from each other, and Bell made a hum before taking a seat on Yuno’s shoulder. 

Magna grinned and pushed up his sunglasses. Yuno could now see the other’s eyes clearly.

“I’m from Rayaka! Cool to finally meet you, Asta’s childhood friend guy! S’rry I didn’t realize, never paid attention to the news—stupid of me, really. Asta’s the kid who got kidnapped, right?”

_… Oh._

Rayaka was one of the first villages that supported Hage’s movement.

“... It’s okay,” shuffling a bit, Yuno continued. “He was safe with the Black Bulls, so it’s fine.”

Magna blinked slowly. After a little, a bead of sweat rolled down the line of his face. The Black Bull looked as if recalling a bad (?) memory.

“Ah, yeah. If you think that’s safe, sure.”

… Yuno was not sure what to make of that.

Fragil, who was distraught at how quickly Yuno handled both her and her teammate, gained back her soft smile. Their team lasted all the way to the quarterfinals—just because they lost didn’t mean that they didn’t do a good job. The plan was well thought out considering the disadvantages that they had.

And besides… Their minds were already reeling for new plans on how to win in an imaginary next time.

Soon enough, Ben Benfunck emerged with their team’s crystal. Nods of acknowledgement were exchanged between him and Yuno. Within Ben’s eyes was a look of pride, and the younger, who was pondering on the fact that the Crimson Lion King did not get to do _as_ much, or _show_ as much of his capabilities, slowly nodded again. 

Each role was equally crucial. Without doubt the Wizard King was the one making the final decision on the Royal Knights’ formation, contrary to the royal king's proclamation, so surely…

…

_… Huh?_

Blinking slowly, Yuno felt a chill slowly crawl up his spine.

“Eh?” Fragil started. “The sky…”

It was swirling gray. Just earlier the sky was mostly clear, but now… Yuno paused. 

_What is this feeling?_

The look on Magna’s face suddenly changed.

“... What the hell,” putting his sunglasses back over his eyes, Magna’s expression turned even more grave. “That feeling is…

“Oi! Asta’s friend guy!” Yuno nearly jolted at Magna’s yell. Eyes meeting, Magna continued without missing a beat. There was this sense of urgency, and Yuno… 

“You can carry people with you, can’t ya? Get us over there! To Finral’s— _quick!_ ”

He understood.

Grimoire flipping open, the Celestial Wind Ark manifested under all of their feet. Fragil gasped in surprise before Magna quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her up before she could fall down. Wind Ark soaring, the two teams departed as one. Bell hovered close, and at the growing unease, Yuno had the wind blow _faster_.

“Yuno, use my magic,” Bell whispered. There was a twinge of discomfort, something misplaced and worrying to be present within Bell. “I don’t like this feeling… It’s… I’m not sure, but I’m worried for that Spatial Magic user.”

“... Bell,” he murmured, and the spirit’s power entwined with his wind. The mana’s flow was ever present. At this point, it felt as if the natural mana was guiding the Ark to his intended destination, to Finral and his brigade’s Vice Captain.

Up ahead was the eye of the storm. The clouds… They were really dark. Yuno held back a shiver. 

_The match ended. It’s supposed to be over._

_What are you doing, Vice Captain Langris?_

They reached the place where Finral and Langris should be.

Eyes of gold stared ahead.

...

“We can’t get near,” he heard Ben whisper in horror. Yuno couldn’t get his eyes off of the sight in front of him.

Pure destruction. Spatial Magic, and the natural mana ripping into wild torrents.

“His magic—we can’t get _near_.”

“FINRAL!” Magna yelled in frantic desperation. Alarmed dread laced his voice, but as he tried to rush forward, the pressure in the mana forced everyone out. No one could get a hair closer. Their own mana… All of their senses were begging them not to. The warning was told loud and clear: get near, you die. It was death’s doorstep, Yuno realized.

Langris was at its very center. Then Finral… What about Finral?

Yuno’s mind raced. The implications were dreading.

(Blood oozed on the snow before him. He stared ahead, eyes wet and the tip of his nose cold. It was freezing and dark and quiet. Yuno was lying on the ground, the left side of his face pressed against snow—)

A familiar thread of Anti-Magic striked down. 

Eyes widening, Yuno almost fell backwards at the impact. Asta, he was... Right there, back facing him, and feet planted onto the ground. The Spatial Magic couldn’t touch him, Yuno noticed. There was a wing—just like the time at the volcanoes—but more ragged. It was… Not fully formed.

At the wave of Asta’s sword, Yuno felt the erasure of the mana. The flow was broken, severed, and a crevice of empty void scarred the world. 

_Not enough,_ Yuno thought, and he felt Ben’s hand on his shoulder. It was a firm, slightly quivering hold.

Oh. Yuno had tried to take a step forward.

“It’s too dangerous,” Bell, who stayed close, murmured. Her own uncertainties were bleeding into Yuno’s senses. “His magic is completely out of control. He’s only conscious enough to not hurt himself, but…”

Asta swung his sword again. Anti-Magic poured. 

There were yells, Yuno noticed. From the audience platform… Magna was tense with strangled despair, and farther away, there were screams and yells and pleas. Asta was still forcing his way through, and—

… No, wait. He was… Asta was…

He was trying to shield them, wasn’t he. From the Spatial Magic that was quickly growing in intensity. 

Trying to shield them. Trying to get to Finral. Trying to keep the danger at bay.

All at the same time.

Pain whined in the left side of his face.

“So it seems. Cob’s Spatial Magic is being constantly canceled by Langris’, he is unable to make a door here.”

The mixed mash of teams started in surprise. Quickly turning around, they were met with the sight of Julius Novachrono.

“I have Marx and Owen on standby, however,” the Wizard King said with a pressed smile. “Asta, you don’t have to worry anymore. Do as you please.”

And the ragged wing solidified. Right iris flashing red, Asta took off. A blur of black trailed behind him, almost as if the tail of a comet—

Yuno started after him. Watching as Asta’s back turned smaller, dashing towards what yelled _danger_ , Yuno almost wanted to reach out and pull him back again. Ben’s hold on his shoulder remained firm. The additional years the Crimson Lion King had as a Magic Knight over Yuno was shown, and strength quickly left the younger’s legs.

 _I know_ , Yuno could almost feel Ben say.

_But you can’t._

Anti-Magic continued to pour. It etched through the air, overwhelming the already devastating power. Anti-Magic cutting through the curtain of Spatial Magic, and then—eyes of gold caught a glimpse of the Golden Dawn’s uniform. Langris. He was there, eyes wide and awfully still.

At his feet—

Yuno lost his breath.

Around the same time, Anti-Magic suddenly cut short. Julius seemed to notice, and an orb—Time Magic—formed above his palm.

Something might have happened, but Yuno wasn’t sure. It was too fast… Too quick to be registered. The Wizard King must be making sure that Yuno and the others wouldn’t get harmed by the horrible torrent that was Spatial Magic. During that instance, Anti-Magic rejoined. Asta sliced the space beside Langris sharply, the Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn barely flinching.

From what Yuno understood, Spatial Magic had a special mana current. Yuno wasn’t well acquainted with its flow, but he could… Somewhat sense it. Not as well as those who used Spatial Magic, however. 

In theory.

Something shifted. Before any of them noticed, Julius reappeared with Marx and Owen by his side, the youngest of the three raising his arm immediately.

A crossbow formed in Marx’s command. Hand extended, mana in the shape of an arrow quickly pierced through Langris’ head. It happened quickly… Instantaneously. 

_Memory Magic: Torment Canceler._

Yuno watched as teal eyes that were filled with unshed tears lost their light. 

_Time Magic: Chrono Stasis._

There was silence. The Spatial Magic vanquished.

Yuno took in a shuddering breath.

… Two orbs. There were two orbs. Skies clearing up, Yuno swallowed. One encased Langris, and the other… 

...

Finral...

Yuno began to hear deep breathing. Stirring a bit, the Wind Magic user tried to find the strength to stand up straight. It was a hesitant motion, but Ben finally let go of his shoulder. The younger stifled back a tremble.

At the corner of his sight, the young teen spotted Asta’s grimoire closing. Anti-Magic receded, the horns on Asta’s head also disappeared back into pale hair. Yuno wasn’t sure if his eye was still red.

The shorter stooped over to where Owen was. Each step quiet and shaky, it occurred to Yuno that the form Asta had donned—Anti-Magic marring his skin and a great wing forming—the amount of energy needed must be tremendous, _especially_ for a body like his.

Yuno stared as Asta made another step.

Hand reaching out, Asta pulled on the doctor’s sleeve.

Very soon, the young Wind Mage realized that it was his own breathing he was hearing. Chest tight, he tried to slow down his heartbeat. There was a small tug on a lock of hair. Bell. The natural mana. It was calm.

 _Calm down_ , he told himself. Finral would be okay. Vice Captain Langris… He wasn’t sure about him, but...

Images of Hage flashed behind closed lids. Yuno took another breath.

The Wizard King was talking now. Cob’s Spatial Magic door opening, the Magic Knights at the battlefield were quickly herded away. It was only on a whim, a reluctant, fearful whim, but hesitantly, Yuno looked over his shoulder before stepping through the portal. 

The plateau that he left Finral on…

Most of it was carved away. The ground.

Blinking hard, he turned and stepped through the door.

* * *

Finral was immediately delivered to the Magic Knight Headquarters' medical bay. Langris, who was unconscious and barely injured, was bound and taken away. Klaus wanted to believe that he was also being brought to the infirmary, but… Oddly enough, a corner of his mind held doubts.

Cob's portal closed. The air was static with stress.

“Team D won; however, due to this unprecedented incident, Finral Roulacase is out of commission. Unfortunately, your team is unable to advance to the finals.”

“... It is only natural,” Ben answered for the team. “None of us expected this, so…”

The Wizard King’s gaze was understanding. “Owen will immediately treat his wounds. Finral is not in danger, right now.”

Nothing was said about Langris. It was probably a given, Klaus supposed. No one dared to speak up, as well. Glancing at Yuno, who was as usual quiet, something akin to worry etched close.

There were choked hushes. The Black Bulls present all gathered together, Noelle rushing to where Asta and Magna stood. Nero landed on Asta’s head.

“That… Just now,” Noelle forced out. Charmy solemnly followed, food absent and lips dipped into a frown. “We… It’s just...”

“Too dangerous,” Luck continued for the other. His smile was absent as well. “I could feel it all the way from here. That feeling...”

Magna made a nod.

“... Yeah. It was…” Gritting his teeth, there was a pained, almost confused look on the Flame Magic user’s face. 

“I don’t understand.”

Klaus, as well, did not understand. Despite the discourtesy, he ended up listening in on the Black Bulls’ conversation. Worrying was just an excuse, but Klaus was still concerned. Everything about the situation, from Vice Captain Langris’ breakdown—was it even a breakdown? Klaus wasn’t sure, it just didn’t sound right, a high-level mage like Langris doesn't just _break down_ —to, well, _everything_ , was odd, and… He didn’t know. The form Asta donned was also ominous. Everything was strange.

So he listened, hoping that they wouldn’t notice.

(They probably did, though. They… They just didn’t mind, perhaps.)

“I tried telling the Wizard King,” Magna began. “He held up his hand, though. The guy probably knows… But I dunno if he _know_ knows.”

“I see…”

“Asta," Magna turned to the shorter. His voice had a small quiver. "Finral’ll be fine. Once the battle’s over… We’ll go visit him together, ‘kay?”

There was barely a shift. Luck’s gaze remained on Asta for a bit. 

“... Anti knows,” he confirmed. “He understands.”

It was almost surreal.

There was only one more match—Team I and Team O. The intention of this exam was to select the most suitable Magic Knights to form the Royal Knights to fight the Eye of the Midnight Sun, so even with cases like this… Even with cases that involved something so… Alarming. Very soon, the final match had to be done. 

Right?

“So much for Magic Knights,” Klaus heard Xerx Lügner murmur. He tried his best to hold his tongue.

As for Mimosa...

Lips pressed in a thin line, she turned and joined Rill and Nils. 

A small period of time was given so that Asta could recover as much stamina as he could. Watching as the final match got set up, Klaus tried to push away any hint of discomfort. Rill was making these loud whispers, bright eyes wide with genuine concern, but Mimosa only smiled and shook her head solemnly.

It was a given, Klaus tried to convince himself. There was no such thing as a fair battle, and if incidents like this happened _during_ battle, they could not just call everything off and go home to take a break. They couldn't. Civilian lives would be at risk, and those of other nations wouldn't spare sympathy for a kingdom's unexpected self-destruction. It was a given.

The words still came to float around. 

… The definition of… A breakdown. 

Klaus bit the inside of his cheek.

Static with stress, the air was stale.

"... I am not in the position to talk about this, but I feel that you have the right to be informed, as it concerns your Vice Captain."

Klaus blinked. Turning his head to the left, he noticed Walter, Captain Rill's butler, standing next to him. 

He actually wasn't sure why or how the butler was here in the first place. This was supposed to be a closed tournament, from what Klaus understood, but... Since Walter was a Captain's butler, he supposed the older was given leeway. 

Klaus replied. Walter _was_ addressing him, right?

“... Sir?”

"See," the Boismortier butler continued, his gaze remaining on the empty battlefield. "During that instance when Sir Vaude lost control of his power…. For a short moment, he reminded me of Young Master Rill.

"It was quick, almost shocking, but the similarities were still there. When Young Master Rill was younger… Something similar occurred. He is doing much better than before, that I am able to say, as for Sir Langris…

"It might be presumptuous of me to ask, but please do look out for him."

“... Right,” head empty, Klaus made a nod of acknowledgment. The elder merely smiled, pouring a cup of tea with a skilled, wrinkly hand.

Asta rested up. The final match beginning, despite everything, fellow Magic Knights stayed behind to watch how it would unfold. A certain code, indeed. As this kingdom’s military force, danger and risk were always in sight, no matter how prosperous or skilled one should be. No matter how glorious one could become.

_The stakes of becoming this kingdom’s sword and shield. The stakes of being a hero, looked up upon by the people._

What did a breakdown entail?

Klaus felt his hand shake.

He wasn’t sure.

* * *

Prior to the Star Festival, Yami delivered a report and another magic stone to the Wizard King's office. Julius was aware of the injuries Asta had been afflicted with by the Eye of the Midnight Sun, so it was a relief hearing from Yami that he had recovered.

"It's not just that, though," Yami said as he passed the magic stone they retrieved from the Forest of Witches to Julius. "Those hooligans of mine got some pretty impressive intel."

"Intel?" Julius inquired. Yami nodded.

There was a lot to think about. Julius looked over the report, careful eyes examining each character. Finral Roulacase’s handwriting was a familiar sight. Weekly reports that became monthly… The fascinating adventures the Black Bulls had surrounding Asta’s road to recovery.

It was sunset. Earlier, Nozel informed him that they found the Eye of the Midnight Sun’s main hideout. Strong magic region… Gravito Stones.

The Wizard King had a theory.

_Fana the Hateful turned out to be a Diamond Kingdom citizen, a former student of Fanzell Kruger. According to Fanzell, she was said to have died after one of the Magic Scholar Morris’ experiments. Mars of the Diamond Kingdom confirmed that he had originally killed her._

_Stopping Fana from self-destructing, she regained her self as Fanzell’s student; however, she was unable to remember what occurred when she was a member of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. The only things she remembered were heavy emotions along with the thought of “magic stone.” The Queen of the Witches informed us that the Third Eye on Fana and previously, Vetto, was Forbidden Magic._

Forbidden Magic. Weg.

_The magic stones are a type of magic item that amplifies the wearer’s magic. We were told that only the elven tribe mastered its use. Below are details we obtained regarding the tribe._

_Apparently, the crystal Asta has is a magic stone as well._

A spell or not a spell. Fana the Hateful and Fana of Diamond. The uncanny timing between his first encounter with Licht and William’s frequent absences. The fact that the crystal Asta had was a magic stone, and the fact that _that_ magic stone originally belonged to Yuno.

Yuno, who was chosen by a Four Leaf like the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun.

Thanking Yami, the Captain of the Black Bulls turned and left the office. Julius leaned back on his seat.

A thoughtful gaze drifted to the natural mana that floated in the air. 

“... When mages face strong magic, their true nature will be revealed.”

It would apply to himself, Julius thought. 

He wondered.

There was a lot of work to do. Stepping out and watching over the people was also one of the many things in the list, and he did so making sure that he could have some fresh air, too. Staying in one stuffy place too long wasn’t himself, and perhaps he could understand the people better if he mingled with them not as the Wizard King but as another individual. If Julius wanted to look after a kingdom, he had to take care of himself as well. 

_And gain merit all the same. We can’t afford to lose the faith of the people._

Spade was getting increasingly aggressive. Various Magic Brigades were taking care of that right now, the Golden Dawn also stopped a few Spade units, and as for Diamond… From what the Black Bulls’ retrieved, it seemed that their king was ill. The revolution of the Diamond Kingdom was in Mars’ hands. Should their neighbor’s change begin, it would be an extremely shaky road before the nation regained some form of stability. 

_Which means… With the Magic Knights we have, we cannot afford to lose any._

_No matter how misguided some should be._

“Sir Nils, go!” Julius blinked. Shifting on his seat to sit straighter, the Wizard King felt the cool air brushing against his face. Up ahead, Mimosa Vermillion was working together with Nils Ragus to destroy the other team’s crystal, which was being guarded by Sekke Bronzazza and his Bronze Magic.

Xerx Lügner, or should he say, Zora Ideale, hung around at the side with his usual air of cynical mystery. Zara’s son… When the news of an assailant attacking Magic Knights left and right arose, further research was obtained when Julius took the form of an old lady to investigate it himself. When he heard that Yami got a new “interesting fellow” soon after, the feeling of relief crashed upon seeing Zora’s name written on the form. 

Searching for a person living at the Forsaken Realm was no easy feat, especially when they were an orphaned child.

Zora by himself had swept the kingdom again and again. The amount of crimes committed and hiddened by Magic Knights were hindered tremendously, and no matter how many complaints were brought to his table, complaints made in the name of justice, Julius only smiled and tucked it to the Black Bulls’ name. The Black Bulls were already notorious enough, and properly processing the information… The Captains would know what to do. Fuegoleon and Nozel had their hands full trying to get their knights aligned after the previous Captains’ neglect to care. Julius could see the improvement in comparison to his time as Captain, and he was proud.

Charlotte was superb in her discipline. Nothing went past Dorothy's closed eyes. While the Golden Dawn might be stiff and hold prejudice at times, they never stepped out of line. Jack and Yami’s brigades were self explanatory.

Julius was proud of them. He really was. Gueldre’s betrayal… He couldn’t say that it didn’t hurt.

A poison that laced every corner of this kingdom.

_But I cannot doubt myself. Not now._

_No matter how greedy I get, at least for now… The change that is happening at this very moment._

_I will appreciate it._

They watched how the battle evolved. Asta raised his sword and blocked Rill’s attack, the Aqua Deer Captain gleefully sending in another one with the flick of his hand. At this point, Sekke was desperate enough to body slam Nils, screaming on the top of his lungs as the two tumbled down the hill. Sekke didn’t have the ability to use two spells at the same time, and with his mana being expended on the bronze shell, there was nothing else to use other than his own body.

And _that_ mere action caught Nils off guard. _That_ moment of hesitation triggered a trap beneath both of their feet, binding them at that spot as Xerx looked like he was honestly surprised that the trap even got used. Sekke continued to scream, and Mimosa, who stood on the higher ground, summoned her Magic Cannon Flower.

A ray of mana shot forth. It pierced through the shield as if it was nothing, and Sekke’s heart stopped before another one of Xerx’s spells activated. Runes swirled on the surface of the crystal. A counter trap, and the Magic Cannon Flower’s attack was thrown back, twice in power. The Sekke Magnum Cannonball was fully obliterated at the impact. 

Just barely evading the countered attack, Mimosa leaped off the edge with the kick of mana-reinforced legs. Nils’ grimoire flipped to the next page to Sekke’s dismay, and Mimosa summoned flowers that grew in iron resolution.

Asta’s Anti-Magic continued to erase Rill’s paintings. Rill, however, never stopped creating. There was such an ecstatic expression on the older’s face, and whipping out another drawing, something akin to mist spread, parting and avoiding each of one of Asta’s attacks before joining together again. Asta pulled out another sword—the magic was being absorbed.

There was a yell. Nils shot his hand forward, and voice cracking, he _yelled_. 

“ICE NEEDLE!”

Yuno watched. He still felt a bit shaken by what happened previously, but even so… Even so. Eyes of gold gazed ahead.

The frenzy torrent of Spatial Magic was long gone, he tried reminding himself. There were barely any traces of it left. Watching as Asta’s team’s crystal shattered, Mimosa’s breath was visible because of the cool air. Yellow colored eyes wide, the Golden Dawn Magic Knight exhaled.

The Magic Knights watched. 

Team I were the victors. 

“... Finral will be okay, right?” The words left Yuno’s lips before he realized it. Ben, unfazed, replied immediately.

“He is in the direct care of the Wizard King’s close aide. Without any doubt, Finral will be okay. I can’t say for sure when he will fully recover, however… Or wake up.”

A beat later, the Crimson Lion King continued. 

“Afterwards, we can ask for his condition. The Black Bulls will surely be updated on him right away, so it would be wise to keep in touch with them, as well.”

“... Right.”

It was getting dark. As the exam wrapped up, the royal king proclaiming his “words of encouragement,” Yuno found himself blinking again. There was a small moment of tired resignation. Bell, who noticed, shot him a worried glance.

 _In the end_ , he thought. _They’ll just stay dry, won’t they._

_My eyes._

“The results will be out on a later date,” Julius said as Marx led the king away. “Great job, all of you. I hope that being able to work together with fellow Magic Knights and having time to watch and observe all these various matches sparked inspiration and insight. As His Majesty stated, your experience today would surely aid your future endeavors.

“With that, the Royal Knights Selection Exam has officially ended.”

The three-leaf salute was made.

“I’ll be counting on you all.”


	37. Burning

Fanzell frowned at the communication device. Frown deepening, he tried inserting his mama into the magic item again, hearing the static hum. There was no response from the other side.

"... Are they busy?"

Fana gazed worriedly from her teacher to her fellow student. The younger’s arms were crossed over the chest, this disgruntled look on her face, and it was no doubt a stark difference in comparison to her usual calm demeanor. While Fana wouldn't know that as she only met Mariella recently, she still could sense cold tension prickling the air.

Domina sighed. 

"Looks like they are," mustering up a smile, she placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. 

"Why don't we try again in an hour or so? They're Magic Knights… I’m sure they are dealing with pressing matters all the time."

A hesitant beat later, Fanzell nodded in agreement. 

The change wasn't obvious, but Mars had given the king the "medicine." Now it was only a matter of time before the Magic Scholar Morris and his affiliates realized, and…

“I noticed some disturbance when I was traveling near the border,” Mariella stated curtly. “Informing them the information we got about Asta can wait, but I’m not too sure about the group of people I spotted. They are probably not of the Eye of the Midnight Sun… Other Clover affairs, I assume. They’re a group small in number, but their movement is suspicious. I don’t know if we should get involved.”

Eyebrows furrowed, the older man pondered.

“Keep an eye on them,” he decided. “Clover affairs are Clover affairs, but just in case… It’s still something worth keeping tabs on. We’ll try contacting the Bulls again later.” 

Standing up, blue eyes gazed out of the window, expression tight and grave.

“We'll get the next group of civilians to safety. Mars, Ladros. Be careful. Asta…

“Please be safe.”

* * *

The streets of Nean were bustling with excitement. It was unlike the time fear and panicked worry gripped the hearts of the people when the children were stolen away, and lavender pink eyes gazing ahead, a small exhale left the nose.

“Most people wouldn’t try to atone,” Noelle commented. “Not like you, at least.”

“... I… I think it might just be that a lot of people don’t think what they’re doing is wrong, even if they know it is a crime,” fiddling with his hands, Neige smiled softly. 

“I only realized that recently, yet... Despite everything, everyone has been so kind to me. I’m grateful.”

Noelle hummed. Watching the children play, her gaze landed on Asta who was stuck in the middle of the group of kids.

… For a few hours straight, Vanessa couldn’t even chug down a gulp of alcohol. There was a slightly shaken look within beautiful eyes, and the beautiful eyes dipped down in glum. Back at the hideout, a layer of cheerlessness covered the Black Bulls Magic Brigade.

“I see,” the witch had smiled smally. “I’m sure Finral will be okay. He’s in Owen’s care right? I’m sure… He will be fine.”

_The Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn, Finral’s younger brother, lost control of his magic. Finral got hit in the crossfire, and while he is healing, he hasn't woken up yet. We don’t know when he will wake up._

The entire hideout was silent at the news. 

As the events of the Royal Knights Selection Exam would not be publicized, it was the same with that incident that took their courier away. Magic Knights present swore secrecy from spreading about it to their own brigades. They weren’t allowed to inform even their own Captains or Vice Captains.

Except this was _Finral_ , so Noelle, Magna, and Luck told everyone at the Black Bulls anyway. They were a small, tight knit group, and rumors… Gossip wasn't their thing. The Black Bulls broke the rules all the time either way. If they earned another negative star, it would be worth it.

Reputation weighed nothing against the wellbeing of a comrade.

“We’re going to visit Marie,” Gauche said as he nudged Asta to follow. Noelle, who quickly followed, frowned at his words.

“But didn’t you already go to see her earlier this month—?”

The Mirror Mage’s single eye snapped to the younger.

“We’re going,” he said. “That’s that.”

Yami didn’t bother to stop Gauche. Back facing them, he merely continued to read his newspapers, offhandedly raising a hand to wave “have fun.” 

Returning back to the present, Asta was now surrounded by the kids again, Marie sticking close as Marco babbled adventures. Gauche, surprisingly, was standing quite a far distance away from everyone (Marie).

“Have you heard about the fair?” Marie asked excitedly. “Will you guys be there?”

“The Magic Knights are hosting it, right?” Luca said with a bright sparkle in her eyes. “That’s so cool!”

The fair… That was right. As Noelle was busy with the Royal Knights Exam, she did hear of it during her training. The Golden Dawn was going to host an event at the Common Realm’s greatest town, Hecairo… Something she didn’t quite expect for a brigade like them.

“For the civilians” was the central concept. Magic Knights would show their appreciation to the people’s support and trust by setting up and running the fair themselves. In turn, the people would be able to see another side of the Magic Knights, and it was also to encourage the idea that the skills of the common people were just as important as combat ability. 

It was William Vangeance’s idea, Noelle heard. The mage closest to becoming Wizard King. Despite her own doubts about having a fair right before a decisive battle against the Eye of the Midnight Sun, seeing the smiling faces of Nean’s people… She could see where the captain was getting at.

… But then again… There was a thought of concern.

Langris Vaude, who lost control of his magic, and the sensation that resembled the animosity of the Third Eye. The Third Eye placed upon Fana was Forbidden Magic, but it just felt… Similar.

So why? How?

Noelle could still remember the chill she felt the moment the skies began to darken. The referee had announced Team D’s victory, yet keeping her attention closely on Finral’s side of the battlefield, something just didn’t seem right.

And then Finral suddenly started running towards Langris. And then Langris’ magic went suddenly berserk.

And then Anti-Magic suddenly flickered, Asta shooting straight towards the vortex of disaster. The ki yelled haste, and Noelle felt a sharp spike of _worry._

It was such a strong feeling. Noelle had to do a double take before registering the sight of Finral’s injuries—something so deeply burned into her memory (why, why couldn’t she have magic like Mimosa’s? This was just like what happened with Captain Fuegoleon, she couldn’t do anything; had no ability to)—and after that, Asta went to fight in the last match.

… The feeling was hard to shake away. Xerx Lügner also turned out to be not even Xerx Lügner, and it was just hectic. 

Noelle wanted to sigh again. Looking up, lavender pink noticed Asta gazing in some direction. Asta… She wasn’t sure how he was taking Finral’s absence, especially knowing that they were close, but... 

There was a memory. A gentle hand giving little Emma the toy Kahono and him won, Asta had smiled. And now… Green eyes were almost distant, this somber look within. He was turned towards the direction of the Royal Capital, Noelle noticed, and—

“Anti!” One of the kids tugged on his robe. “Wanna play?”

Blinking slowly, Asta looked down to meet with the kid’s eyes. He blinked again.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to,” Marie said with a bright smile. “Let’s find a place to sit!”

Because Gauche wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place, there was a disgruntled cloud above his head. He seemed to be managing pretty well, however, hands stuffed into his pockets and a careful eye on the kids and Asta. A guard of sorts, Noelle thought. He was making sure nothing bad would happen, and a distrustful glare was shot at Neige’s direction.

Neige, flustered, quickly made his way out of Gauche’s line of sight. 

“So…” Rebecca started, her baby brother babbling in her arms. “Will you guys be at the fair?”

Noelle pursed her lips. “Probably. It’s a good break, I think… Captain Yami already has an idea on what kind of stall he wants to put up, too.”

“I see. I’ll be sure to bring the kids over!” Rebecca said cheerfully. Pem squealed at the same time, and Noelle tried to push down the smile that quickly formed on her lips. 

“... Yeah.”

“Oi, Asta! We can’t stay overnight, so give Marie as much attention as you can!”

Rebecca made a small chuckle at Gauche’s yell, and with that—

“... ‘Asta?’” Sister Theresa repeated after Gauche. There was a spooked expression on her face.

Gauche raised an eyebrow.

“What, old hag. It’s the kid’s name.”

“His real name.”

“Yeah. You didn’t know?”

“... Uh,” Noelle began, “we never told them.”

A beat.

...

“Gauche,” the nun choked out. “He is _Asta_ , the lost child from _Hage_?”

Gauche blinked slowly. Slightly unsettled by the elder’s shaken demeanor, he forced out a reply.

“Something like that. Isn’t that right?”

Noelle nodded. She eyed the nun carefully, a growing worry in her senses. 

Sister Theresa breathed. Raising her hand hesitantly, she sighed and let arm go back hanging. The sun was bright above everyone’s heads, and after a soft second, the elder made a sigh of defeat.

“A few years ago, a sister from Hage came over for training. Her name is Sister Lily, and she was the one of the people who took care of Asta when he was young.”

Silence. Eyes wide, Rebecca slowly raised a hand to cover her mouth.

“Hage lost Asta to a kidnapping. I never made the connection that he might have been Anti all along… Sister Lily left before Marie was brought here. After you guys came along... I had an inkling that Anti is supposed to be a special mission you Bulls are in charge of. A classified one. I never thought...”

Face scrunching up, Sister Theresa’s shoulders shook a bit before relaxing. Months prior, she was heavily injured because of fatal attacks by the Eye of the Midnight Sun.

“Do they know? That Asta is safe?”

Slowly processing the information, Noelle found herself staring at Asta’s direction again. 

“... Yeah,” she answered. The meal at Kikka was still present in mind, eating crepes after lunch with the Golden Dawn.

“They probably know.”

There was an unspoken question.

_Has he reunited with them, yet?_

But they all knew. 

Patience was important.

They had to wait. Wait until Asta was ready, or when he himself wanted to go. It wasn’t just about Hage, and it wasn’t just about what everyone _hoped_.

Because Asta does not remember Hage. 

Surrounded by the children, the only thing he had was the crystal he held so tightly on for the past ten years. The crystal that was now hanging around his neck, hidden well behind the Black Bulls’ magic robe.

That was all.

The connection he had with Hage, he place he would've grown up at.

* * *

As few Magic Knights were nominated from each Magic Brigade to participate in the Royal Knights Selection Exam, it didn't mean the usual duties of the other Magic Knights were on hold. Work went by as usual—border defense, scouting, other investigations and more. There were a lot of affairs to work on.

During this cloudless morning, the Golden Dawn was busy. Klaus quickly moved out of the way as a junior member rushed past him carrying files and boxes. Another junior member darted by, screaming as she nearly dropped the material she was holding.

Staring after his fellow Magic Knights, the Steel Magic user pushed up his glasses.

"Ah… That's right. The fair."

An event where the Magic Knights served the people instead of the people serving the Magic Knights. That was how Captain Vangeance explained it, a small smile on his lips.

"The Wizard King gave his approval, and we have sponsors from a number of noble houses. Money is not a problem," setting down a stack of paper, the captain continued. "We will be holding it at Hecairo. All brigades will volunteer Magic Knights to patrol and run the stalls… As nobles, I believe that many of us never got the chance to experience such work."

Before Klaus and his unit went to train for the Royal Knights Selection Exam, he was given the notice. As a given, he relayed the message to Yuno and Mimosa. 

Though now… With Vice Captain Langris out of commission, there was an unsettling tension underneath everyone’s skins. Klaus was worried, but then again… Of course, while such incidents were uncommon, fellow Magic Knights getting injured or bedriddened _wasn’t_ , and—

He quickly shook his head.

_Don’t think about it. Focus. Focus._

Earlier the day, he snuck into the library—wait, no, not snuck—and searched for some articles on psychological topics. The mind was a complex thing, and while he _could_ ask professionals and the like, Klaus didn’t really want to… Well. Either way.

He nearly ran into a pillar.

“... Are you okay?” Klaus heard Yuno say. 

“I don’t think he’s okay,” Mimosa voiced with a hushed tone. 

“He’s definitely not okay,” Bell added her input.

Klaus quickly pushed up his glasses.

“I am perfectly fine. Now, we should be getting to the—”

“Hey, it’s you guys! Team Royal Knights!” David Swallow. Turning around, light magenta was met with the sight of the Dice Magic user and a few others. Fellow Magic Knights exchanged greetings. Registering the stacks of files being carried under David’s arms, David’s hair slightly more disheveled than usual as well, Klaus decided not to comment on it before Yuno cut in coolly.

“How is the Missing Magic Item Investigation going?”

A beat of silence passed before David made an upbeat response.

“About that!” His shoulders slacked. “Really bad.”

… Right.

“... There is a list of suspects, right?” Mimosa tried, but she was an expert in oblivious harshness. David made a defeated sigh before nodding, the group beginning to walk together through the halls.

“Yeah, but like… They just dropped off the radar! We have a list of names and all, but they’re just… Gone. Letoile’s looking through all of the files again, and since her family’s specialized in maps, it’s only a matter of time we locate and apprehend them.”

It was a tough mission, Klaus thought. He could understand Yuno’s agitation well. As the unit that was in charge of the assignment originally, the noble couldn’t help but feel a bit bad for his peers. David waved it off, and grinning, he nodded at Yuno’s direction.

"And I noticed—you know Alecdora? Sandler? Captain's number one fan? Anyway, I don't know what happened during the exam, but for sure I know he got beaten by your team, right—?"

Alecdora was standing at the other side of the hall. David stared at Alecdora who was standing at the other side of the hall.

Klaus, who felt extremely uncomfortable in this situation, tried to pretend that Alecdora did not hear David's rambles and that everything was very okay and _we should get to the office where our paperwork awaits._ He pushed up his glasses nervously.

To the Steel Magic user’s dismay, Alecdora _did_ hear what David said. Without any doubt he did, but face scrunched up, all he did was turn before saying:

"You might have won, but you're still a junior. And don't disrespect our captain."

And he walked away. 

… That was definitely directed to Yuno.

“What’s with him,” Bell commented, cynical and slightly weirded out. As Yuno told the spirit to keep it down, Mimosa made a sympathetic sigh.

“He must’ve practiced a lot in front of the mirror,” Mimosa said in condolence, “considering he got beaten up by Yuno so quickly. I’m genuinely surprised how well he is taking it right now!”

David stifled back a snort before quickly clearing his throat. With that...

The young Swallow exchanged quick glances with his companions. A nod later, the Dice Magic user cleared his throat again.

“So… Hey, Yuno? Can you come with us for a second?”

Yuno blinked slowly.

… Despite being a member of the Golden Dawn for over half a year, Yuno was not acquainted with many of his peers. The cafeteria was full of whispers, not to mention the halls and training grounds. While David was friendly, there was not much interaction between most of the Golden Dawn and Yuno.

Klaus wondered.

“... Sure.”

Together, they headed towards the main lobby. It was the place where a grand flight of stairs led to the iconic stained glass window, pieces of oranges, reds, blues, greens, and yellows. When Klaus first joined the Magic Knights, the lobby made a huge impression on him. Chilling, almost, and he remembered how beautiful it was, sunlight sinking down from the Golden Dawn’s symbol.

There was a small crowd of Golden Dawn Magic Knights. They varied in rank, but Klaus recognized each and one of them quickly. 

There was… A bit of curiosity. 

“Yuno,” one of them started after a beat of nervous fidgeting. All of them stood straight, a bead of sweat rolling down one of their face’s, and Klaus saw how David and his group joined them. There was this small smile on David’s face, and—

“We’re sorry!” Their voices boomed. Heads tilting down, they all bowed in synchronization. 

“We treated you badly because you were a peasant. You’re a fine Magic Knight, Yuno!”

Yuno stared ahead.

… 

… This was...

Klaus wasn’t sure how to describe it. Stealing a small glance at Yuno’s direction, the younger teen’s face remained expressionless. As for Mimosa, lime yellow eyes were wide with pure shock. She quickly glanced at Yuno as well, curious of her comrade’s reaction.

Yuno remained silent.

The silence lasted for a minute and a little longer. The Magic Knights remained bowing, and after many quiet heartbeats, the young mage’s lips finally parted.

“Got it.”

… Like always, there was not much difference in the look of Yuno’s face. Lips always in a line, the mere feeling he gave off was akin to something apathetic or impassive. He never showed any extreme emotion… He never smiled. 

Like now. 

Like now, but…

Yuno nodded.

“Got it,” he said again, eyes of gold wide with hinted flustered surprise.

* * *

“And as your unit attended the Royal Knights Selection Exam, I want you three to take part of the fair in the coming week,” the corners of his eyes crinkling, Captain Vangeance continued with his usual smile. “The goal is to relieve the common people of any concerns, our main focus being the common people themselves, and so…

“If any of you wish, family or friends may come by as well.”

Klaus had a feeling that he was referring to Yuno’s village. 

Arrangements for the fair were done accordingly. As the fifty plus members of the Golden Dawn busied about, making sure all of the duties were properly attended to, a small handful were picked to look after the event… The Golden Dawn had the most members, after all.

This was a fair for the common people, a fair where the nobles weren’t placed in first priority. Hecairo, as the largest town of the Common Realm, was the place where most of Clover’s roads were connected to. The location was perfect, and as the Magic Knights were the ones running the stalls, everything would be free for the customers.

It was a fair designed for the common people, and more specifically, the majority of the peasants who weren’t accessed to this year’s Star Festival.

“I will make sure the event will proceed smoothly,” Klaus voiced with the three-leaf salute. 

Captain Vangeance’s smile was gentle.

“... I will be depending on you.”

Since the time the current Wizard King came into power, a lot had changed in the kingdom within _just a few years_. Something akin to hope sparked among the people, and more and more became motivated. Towns bloomed, there was color. Everyone loved the Wizard King, but there was only so much one man could do.

_What to prioritize first? What to focus on first?_

There were always the dangers of foreign forces. Spade suddenly became antagonistic despite its original history of neutral isolation, and Diamond’s hostile aggression kept increasing step by step. Clover never truly cared for the peasants as well, the consequences itself visible within sky blue eyes that were so, terribly kind. 

Klaus remembered what Sister Lily said. Her words always echoed, and...

… Change was hard to see. Back when he was still in the academy, there was always the gossip of Hage among nobles who were his peers. During the occasional family meetings he had to return to… The noble parties he sometimes attended at. 

_The heart of the peasants,_ they would say.

The heart of the peasants.

_We will have faith in your words._

_Please do not let us down._

… Klaus wasn’t sure why Captain Vangeance was insistent on having the fair as early as possible. He supposed it was okay, though, because he trusted his captain’s judgment. 

That, and...

"U-um… Captain. About Vice Captain Langris… Is he…"

Captain Vangeance blinked slowly.

A soft beat later, the smile returned to Captain Vangrance's lips. It was a bit different, though. Klaus noticed.

It was… Almost sad.

And grateful.

"Langris is recovering at the main headquarters. There is nothing to worry about." 

Swallowing, Klaus nodded in acknowledgment. 

"I-uh. I see. It is nice to know. I will take my leave now," he bowed. 

“I hope you have a good evening, Captain.”

“Likewise, Klaus.”

“Man, I wonder how the selection is going. Mimosa’s team won the finals, right? You’ll definitely be part of the Royal Knights!”

“Hohoho, even though I’m part of the Golden Dawn as well, I got eliminated at the very first round! Monsieur Klaus, you impress me!”

“R-right… Uh, sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize, Monsieur Klaus! Here, have some confections!”

“Ah—thank you—but I’m sure you’d pass, too, Hamon! Your skills are very versatile, after all…”

Hair that matched the confection’s red color flipped back, a junior member of the Golden Dawn smiled proudly at her wooden sign. Bright words spelling “the Golden Dawn’s,” little pictures were drawn in decoration at the corners. A small doodle of the captain’s mask was illustrated as well, the little feathers painted in bright white.

Including the Captain and absent Vice Captain, the Golden Dawn had fifty five members. As it was the group that had the most brigade members, more Golden Dawn Magic Knights would be present in comparison to the others. Other brigades were preparing their own stalls, still, but security and patrol would be mainly in Golden Dawn’s care. 

It was only one day before the fair. Staring at his grimoire, Yuno placed it back in his pouch, safe and secured. 

The Bulls informed him of Finral’s health. All of his injuries healed, there was a low chance of lasting damage. Finral would be fine. He just hadn’t woken up yet... Something about the burden of recovery spells. There wasn’t much news on Langris, but the workload seemed to be a lot heavier than usual—for all of them, really. He recalled the words that were stated about their Vice Captain. Langris was truly better at everything than anyone.

A week prior, it seemed that he had taken care of the bulk of the paperwork everyone was dealing with right now. Langris exceeded Captain Vangeance in terms of deskwork. 

Adjusting his robe, Yuno blinked slowly. 

… Change was slow.

When he was younger, Hage was a lot smaller. The surrounding villages, too, but throughout these ten years, they all grew with Hage at its center. It was impressive considering they had no support from the capital, and pride grew in the hearts of the people. Reaching Kikka, however, Yuno realized just how different the Common Realm was in comparison to his hometown. The Noble Realm was even more flamboyant, and Hage… Hage was _small_. 

But change was slow. Change was slow, and Asta…

He thought back to the dungeon exploration mission. His reunion with Asta… Even though he failed to recognize him. The attack on the Royal Capital was eventful. He managed to make Bell’s magic his own, and staring down at his left hand, Yuno recalled the feel of that blue crystal plopping into his palm.

“I cannot wait to see them again!” Mimosa said with a bright smile. “You have sent them a letter already, right? Father Orsi is very energetic, it is so pleasant to chat with him!”

Yuno nodded. Brooms ready, the three of them departed for the Forsaken Realm.

“While Hecairo is some distance away, it is much more accessible for most of the peasant villages,” Klaus said. “A lot of transportation is set up for this, so quite a lot of money is spent...”

“But it’ll be worth it,” Yuno said. Bell made a hum of agreement as she snuggled closer, enjoying the breeze of Clover’s wind. 

Pausing, Klaus smiled.

“... Yes.”

The journey held parallels to their first mission. Yuno remembered how they had to escort Salim Hapshass to the Heart Kingdom, the stretching sight of the kingdom underneath them. Using one of the many routes Klaus planned out previously, gentle wind brushed past as they traveled further North. 

Back then, they left when the sun was about to go down. This time they departed earlier, which meant there was more daylight to make the trip back.

… It was hard to imagine. Looking ahead, Yuno gazed distantly at the direction he knew the Demon Skull should be.

They acknowledged him.

A group of Golden Dawn Magic Knights, mages at the top of this kingdom, bowing down and apologizing.

_Apologizing… For what?_

Yuno did not win the tournament. He wasn't sure if he piled enough merit, and he was just a peasant. Shock. Shock turned into confusion. There was this floaty feeling in his chest, and placing a hand over his heart, Yuno…

If he looked at the mirror right now, his face would probably be void of any smile. Head tilted downwards, the young mage softly exhaled.

… One day, he thought. 

One day, he would smile again. One day, he would cry again. It was okay... They were almost there. Be patient. There was no sound of Salim’s chattering, and he was with his friends. It was just him, Mimosa, Klaus, and Bell. Bell’s presence always gave him so much comfort. 

The Golden Dawn accepted him. Asta was safe. Finral would make a full recovery, so it was going to be okay. He would visit him later, and after this… They’d soon fight the Eye of the Midnight Sun. It was a decisive battle that Yuno swore to win, and then...

He had friends, you see. The warm feeling spread.

The night after the Royal Knights Selection Exam was scary. Sensations of Langris' magic remained, and he was afraid that nightmares would come again. It was a strange feeling, stirring and stirring and stirring, but... Little by little. A slow progress.

Just maybe. Just… Maybe.

_Recca, Nash, Aruru, Hollo._

_Father._

_Sister._

Eyes of sunshine looked up to the skies.

It was blue, just like the color of Sister Lily’s eyes—

... Slowing down, Yuno stopped the broom as a whole. There was slight confusion, but Mimosa and Klaus followed suit. 

“... Yuno?”

“What is the matter?”

There was a sense of uncertainty. Bell frowned, and eyebrows furrowed, Yuno hesitated a bit before raising his hand. The sky was blue and dotted with clouds, and far ahead was the familiar stretching hills. This was the sight he was familiar with growing up, only a small distance more before reaching Hage, but...

Something…

There was something in front of him. Arm extended, something thin… Or not thin. Something like… A barrier.

Suddenly, Yuno remembered details of that mission he was supposed to work on. 

_They just dropped off the radar!_ David had sighed. There were faint dark circles under the older’s eyes. _We have a list of names and all, but they’re just… Gone. Letoile’s looking through all of the files again, and since her family’s specialized in maps, it’s only a matter of time we locate and apprehend them._

_No doubt concerning, though. Those rogue nobles… It’s been over a month. I know many of the magic item’s functions have already been disabled, but..._

_Who knows what they’re planning with it!_

The Missing Magic Item Investigation.

A barrier that acted like an invisible curtain.

Fingers curling, the young Wind Magic user clawed his hand through the air. The action reminded himself of Langris, but the thought quickly flitted away when a spark strung through his fingertips, this sense of pain running up his spine—

Something acrid hit his nose.

Hot—

Eyes of gold widened.

In front of him—

Past this tear he tore like paper—

A sea of flames.


	38. Hage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While as a rule I avoid writing extremely graphic descriptions, the writing may still contain heavy themes as implied from previous chapters. From now on, at certain parts, the story will get heavier. Please take care when reading!! Thank you for reading Blurred and Cry, the main story starts here!

_The magic items stolen are relics found in one of the past conquered dungeons. They are used for entrapment and camouflage... Invisibility. It functions like a curtain, if you would, that breaks mana signals. In other words, it traps whatever should be contained inside as if in another dimension; if magic is used in the inside, outsiders cannot detect them._

The flames… They were roaring.

_However, the department had already disabled most of its functions, so it is easier to break open the curtain when activated. We’ve confirmed that rogue nobles were indeed the culprits of the case, and there is a list of suspects. It is just a matter of locating them right now…_

Blue sky… All red.

_The Magic Investigation Department made a few hypotheses on the magic item’s original purpose. Judging from the dungeon itself, the item might have been used as a last resort of a civilization, where they shielded themselves from… For example, warfare or natural disasters._

_Oh… How large is the magic item’s space, anyway?_ Mimosa had pointed out. _And I remember… The spell cannot be breached from the inside? Only people from the outside can break into it, and with that in mind... It doesn’t seem very effective as a shield, right?_

There was a thoughtful look on Klaus’ face. 

_… I suppose it is most likely out of an act of desperation. To keep their own people alive, it is possible for ancient civilizations to seal them away to another space… Perhaps also making sure they wouldn’t leave that one place._

_But what if they had to run?_ Yuno remembered himself asking. _What if someone attacked, and it was too late for them to get out?_

The flames flared. The flames roared. The flames—

_Well, before the department had disabled many of its functions, I suppose it was no easy task to actually break the shield apart. The magic item could originally be made to be permanent…_

The flames were—

_But the facts itself are lost in history._

As far as the eyes could see.

 _Who do they think they are?_ A common line after the whisper of “the heart of peasants.”

Klaus remembered. 

Mimosa remembered.

Rogue nobles. Extremists who hated the peasants. Reports about Saussy—the peasant village that was saved by the Black Bulls Magic Brigade.

Eyes were wide with stomach-churning horror.

“Y—” 

“ _BELL!_ ” Yuno’s scream hit Klaus and Mimosa’s ears. The wind immediately picked up, a light green glow forming around their comrade before the Wind Magic user shot forth, cutting through the wall of fire as it split apart like the legendary, mythical sea. It took only a few beats before the fire joined back together, but the impact of Yuno’s wind nearly blew the other two away.

The flames roared. Mimosa opened her mouth.

No sound came out. 

Hands shaking, the young Vermillion quickly shook her head and summoned her grimoire. The pages flipping quickly, her magic’s light glow bright, she found the spell her soul begged for immediately. The flower began to bloom, leaves and leaves forming.

_Plant Creation Magic: Magic Flower Guidepost._

Different procedures for varying situations rapidly ran through her mind. Cold sweat beading skin, lime yellow eyes quickly took in the information gathered by her magic. Heartbeat quickening at the implications of the signals, the crackling of the flames seemed to turn louder. 

_Dread._

“We, we have to get to Yuno,” Mimosa forced out. Klaus was frozen at where he stood.

“Klaus, we got to—”

“Contact the headquarters,” the senior knight commanded. “Contact them first.”

Light magenta eyes were wide. Frantic gazes connecting, Mimosa quickly nodded before pulling out the magic tool, forcing waves of her mana though the device.

“Our affinities,” she heard Klaus mutter. Hands pulled into fists, there was a look akin to desperation and anguish on her comrade’s face. “It won’t work. My Steel Magic would end up hurting us in the face of heat, not to mention your Plant Magic. We have no way of protecting ourselves. With that intensity of fire, we’ll suffocate and dehydrate immediately.”

His voice was quivering. Mimosa felt her knees go weak.

It wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all. 

Think. _Think._

Mana Skin… Her older brother talked about Mana Skin before, but Mimosa hadn’t mastered it—not to Yuno’s level. She could only use it in short intervals of time, the basic skill all mages have. Yuno taught them a few tips when they were training, but Klaus and Mimosa never went to the strong magic region their friend ventured at. It was different.

_Regret._

The transmission tool clicked. Her hold on the device nearly slipping, Mimosa quickly adjusted her grip. Her voice was loud and clear and she debriefed the headquarters of the situation and requested for urgent backup, but before the transmission ended, Mimosa felt her hands shake again.

Yuno… Even with the power he had, he wouldn’t be able to do anything against this sea of fire. His magic would only increase its intensity, because these flames covered so much _more than just Hage_. 

And it was terrifying. 

Absolutely terrifying.

Mimosa glanced back at her Guidepost.

The farms. The surrounding fields. The scenery that Mimosa recalled. It was unknown when the fire started, when everything got set up, and it was unknown whether other villages were facing the same exact thing. The call for help was never made—Mimosa tried to remember the number of stolen magic items that were reported. The people who did it… They probably set up everything and ran off after starting the flames. By now they should be long gone, but Hage was supposed to be the center of the Forsaken Realm. Didn’t anyone notice? The nearby villages?

_The fair._

The pungent smell hit her. Eyes stinging, the young Vermillion tried to steady her thoughts.

_Think, think._

_A solution._

_Quickly._

_Think of one._

_Quick…!_

_If only I had magic like Noelle’s._

“... If—if I keep using Recovery Magic,” Mimosa forced her voice strong. Lime yellow eyes looking straight to her superior, she continued.

“Your Steel can keep pushing the fire away, and I’ll use my recovery spells continuously. I’m—I’m a royal. I have a lot of magic. It’s possible.”

A quivering beat later, Klaus squeezed his eyes shut. 

He nodded.

The words of Sister Lily echoed in the mind, and Klaus nodded.

“Okay,” he bit out. “Alright.”

Her comrade had thought up the same solution, Mimosa realized. 

He did, but he didn’t want to mention it.

Diving headfirst into these flames—he would be putting his junior at risk. But Yuno… Who knew how far he was within this fire. Yuno was alone right now, surrounded by red, and as his comrades, his friends—they had to go help him. Get to him.

Over half a year ago… The dungeon exploration mission. The harsh flinch Mimosa saw Yuno made, hearing that “Anti” could have nearly lost his life.

They hadn’t known about Asta’s real name, that Anti was Asta all along, but Yuno had been stuck in the past for a long, long time. Anti turned out to be Asta, and memories of Hage…

The distrustful air of the village. The look within each of their eyes.

_Quickly._

Steel carriage summoned, the two stepped on and squinted at the fire. Mimosa raised her hands with the faint glow healing mana. The princess’ robes were donned.

“Let’s go,” Klaus whispered.

“Yes,” Mimosa answered.

They dived into the flames, and the fire…

It was painfully real.

* * *

The heat was suffocating. Fire and fire and more fire, it was a different type of intensity in comparison to the Yultim Volcanoes. The strong magic region was smothering heat and overflowing lava, but this was—

His vision was playing tricks on him. He could still breathe fine, as the Yultim Volcanoes was so much more intense, but the fire… The fire, everything about it.

_Just sense the mana. Don’t care about what’s in front of you._

“Yuno,” he heard Bell’s voice. Their mana entwined, Bell’s magic was coursing through his soul. He forced himself to go faster, faster than he ever flew. 

Bell’s magic was continuously protecting him from the flickering flames. All around him was bright, flaring red.

_Faster._

_Faster._

_Towards them._

_Get to them._

He was sweating. The sweat quickly dried up. He flinched when this pang echoed in his skull, but Yuno forced himself to _go_. 

He wanted to yell.

“SISTER! ARURU, HOLLO! FATHER! RECCA! NASH!”

He wanted to scream.

“ANYONE! ANSWER ME! I’M HERE! _I’M HERE!_ ”

Something ripped in his throat. Yuno continued to fly, eyes of gold darting to find any hint of life. The buildings were all burnt down. They were still burning and covered in flames. If he used his magic, the fire would just get stronger. This house was… 

The image of the aunty who got him tatoes flashed behind his eyes. The faces of her siblings who helped out at the fields together.

Yuno shook his head. 

“Mayor, I’m here,” he tried to find the mayor’s place. The village… Where was he in the village? He couldn’t smell anything. The fire was too much. If he squinted, there was…

...

The church. He had to find the church.

“Sister, Father,” he choked. “Recca, Nash, Aruru, Hollo.”

Passing the Grimoire Tower, eyes of gold scanned for any hint of the familiar building. There were no mana signals within the tower, so the master Drouot… Yuno gritted his teeth. Peering over the flames, he knew that the church should be a bit farther ahead, a little to the right.

 _Please_ , he thought. _Please._

Mana detection. Sense them. _Sense them_.

“Ah…”

Piles of… Something. No grimoire, fire. 

Charred marks, burning buildings, burnt away cloth, tatoe fields in flames.

Discarded tools. Red metal. Scars on the dirt. Marks of rush.

No grimoire.

 _No grimoire_.

_No mana._

“... Ah...”

He couldn’t breathe. Vision shaky, this weird pressure was pressing in his head.

Recca. Nash. Aruru. Hollo.

The soles of his boots hitting the ground, fire parted where Yuno loomed.

Father. Sister. 

The church was barely recognizable. He couldn’t make out its shape, the entire building already collapsed on itself.

How long did the fire burn? Was it immediate? Did it happen over hours? An entire day? Week?

Yuno couldn’t tell.

He couldn’t.

“Father,” Yuno whispered. “Where are you, Father? Sister?”

There was a whine. He couldn’t see ahead clearly, and everything… Everything was faint. Unsteady.

He couldn’t sense anyone. Within this fire that was started by magic, the spark long became real flames. Yuno wasn’t able to tell the location of the source, it was as if the entire place just started burning at the same time. His head was ringing. He couldn’t close his eyes.

“Recca?”

Stepping forward, fire swished at his feet. Spirit Dive continued to wrap around him as a protective shield, Bell’s emotions one with his.

“Nash?”

The barrier wouldn’t allow anyone to come out. Because Yuno had strong magic, he was able to easily break in. Yuno always had strong magic. Everyone applauded him for that, but—

But everyone back at home… They were...

“Sister? Aruru, Hollo?”

 _Big Brother Yuno!_ Hollo’s face had emerged into the older’s line of sight when Yuno slowly sat up. Staring at his youngest brother, he placed a hand on top of blonde hair and ruffled it gently. 

Aruru would quickly join in. Tackling his legs, she would hold onto him tightly, giggling and happy and bright.

_Big Bro Yuno, can you show us that tornado again? I wanna see it!_

Wind had swirled in his palm. The children all gasped in excitement, a younger Yuno’s eyes softening at their cheerfulness and delight. Recca would catch up with him, carrying a basket of tatoes, and without a hint of hesitation, Nash would tag along as well.

A pang of guilt.

 _Yuno, it’s okay if you want to take a break, okay?_ Father Orsi had said. The corners of his eyes wrinkling, a bright grin formed on the priest’s face. _Taking breaks is just as important. Here, a tatoe!_

 _Yuno!_ Sister Lily. Their kind Sister Lily. A small embrace was made, a smaller Yuno clutching onto the cloth on the sister’s back...

_Thank you for always helping out._

The ground was scorching. The air was hot.

There was… Signs of struggle. Water that long evaporated, but protected for a longer, longer time. 

Boiling black cloth. It covered something charred.

On the ground… Father Orsi’s cross. The smaller chain...

Sister Lily’s cross.

“... Everyone.”

Standing there, Yuno slowly looked up.

Most of his nightmares were dark and scary.

_Yuno._

It would be snowing, or he would be trapped in this small space, or it would be a glimpse of a past memory.

_Yuno._

They were never pleasant. A heavy feeling would always be in his chest, replacing that awful missing pendant.

_Yuno._

_Yuno._

It was nighttime. Knees scraping against wooden planks, a smaller Yuno sniffled a bit before pulling his legs to his chest. Cold and dark, it felt as if being trapped in a box. A very small box.

Where was everyone? Could they not find him? Was this place too hard to find…?

_Yuno!_

The sun was still up when they were playing hide and seek, but now it was all dark. This was just the old tatoe storage house, shouldn’t they be able to find him? And to begin with—this was the storage house, right? Was Yuno mistaken?

 _Yuno!!_ The voice sounded like a plea… Something desperate, something sad.

Yuno couldn’t tell.

He just felt…

…

“Yuno,” someone grabbed his arm. Klaus.

“Yuno,” someone whispered. Mimosa.

There was soot all over, the edges of orange vermillion hair singed brown. Klaus… Yuno couldn’t look up, had no energy to.

At some point, it had begun raining. His senses told him that other Magic Knights were here, probably scouting the place, and… The magic items had been deactivated. The barrier was taken down. They had to keep the tools on so that the fire wouldn’t spread, but now that the rain began pouring...

Eyes of gold barely noticed how nothing seemed to be standing. The village that everyone worked so hard to build. Greenery was burnt away, and up ahead, only the Grimoire Tower could be seen. There was no life within the Grimoire Tower.

_A Four Leaf grimoire?! The grimoire that grants great power and fortune?!_

_Just like the First Wizard King?!_

_It must mean something._

_Yuno’s the pride of our village! He’s our hope!_

_If it’s Yuno, he can definitely become the Wizard King!_

“Yuno,” Klaus said again, and slowly, Yuno’s knees found the ground. Klaus and Mimosa were brought down with him, and the three of them knelt there in front of the remains of his home.

Mimosa’s bare knees scraped against the muddy dirt. There were burn marks, Yuno saw.

“ _Yuno_.”

His throat was dry. Spirit Dive breaking away, Bell reformed at his side. 

There was unspoken worry and terror, tremors of the little spirit’s energy. Yuno stared at the patterns on her wings. He tried to focus on her wings.

For the last few months, Bell had always been able to help him out of his night terrors. With her kind smiles that evolved to chirping squeals, the night became something not as scary to Yuno. Her loud presence was nostalgic. Her loud presence was comforting.

But this was reality. This was real.

“... They’re all dead, aren’t they.”

His voice sounded strange.

“... Yuno, we...”

“They’re dead. All of them.”

It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a nightmare. The mana felt cool on his face, little specks of magic floating away.

It was quiet.

“... We’re Magic Knights, Yuno,” Klaus started.

“We’re Magic Knights, but above all, we are your friends.”

Very gently, Klaus held Yuno close. The warmth from his body made something prick in Yuno’s eyes, and a choked sound broke out from Mimosa’s lips. 

“Don’t die,” Yuno found himself whispering. “Don’t ever die.”

“I won’t,” Klaus answered. His voice also sounded strange, throat dry and probably burned. Yet despite that, he continued, the pain in his mouth ignored.

“I promise. You have to promise us, too, Yuno. Promise us that you won’t die. Please.”

Klaus’ breathing hitched.

“Don’t die, Yuno.”

… Far out into the boonies, a small village was built upon the land that was once settled by a certain tribe beloved by mana. Even though the winters might be cruel and there would be days without food, Hage was relatively a peaceful place to be.

Except, like the tribe that was beloved by mana, the same fate fell upon the village that worked so hard to survive. The same thing happened, a day laced with malice, and everything was burned to ashes, the land and people alike.

The three leaves of the clover represented three things: faith, hope, and love.

Faith was torn away the moment the Magic Knights refused to listen, and hope fell apart at the face of utter despair. Love meant nothing because everyone only hated, and all of these coincidences happened to so cruelly pile on top of each other, mercilessly as one. Destroying as one. Devastating as one.

That day, natural mana stirred. Rain fell, droplets trailing down the skin below Yuno’s eyes. Water gathered at his chin, it dripped, dripped, and dripped, and face slack from any emotion, the youth’s forehead was pressed against Klaus’ shoulder. He breathed. He breathed.

He breathed.

Many years ago, he would have still given the benefit of the doubt. A smaller Yuno would, because the Magic Knights were supposed to be the heroes. Because the monarch was supposed to be right. Because the First Wizard King was a legend. Because Sister Lily told him a lot about the weight of every living being. Because everyone mattered. Because… Because. 

But this time was different.

It was the truth, as plain and simple as that.

Yuno had dwelled too long on past memories. Silver bells ceased to ring.

The three leaves never existed.

The three leaves weren’t real.

The Clover was false.

* * *

Marx’s Communication Magic flickered away. There was a moment of heavy silence, and… Looking over his shoulder, eyes of bronze spotted Asta sitting by Finral’s bed, the boy’s green gaze on the space between Finral and himself. 

The crystal that hung around Asta’s neck could be seen. It glimmered by the sun’s shine, the blue contrasting the Black Bulls’ gold. Hearing that the pendant was a magic stone all along, Julius decided that it was best for Asta to keep it.

He was its guardian, after all.

Vanessa, who was accompanying Asta with Noelle, noticed the Memory Magic user’s discomfort. Pink lips frowning, the witch stood up and walked over to where Marx stood. She spoke in a quiet voice.

“What’s wrong?”

Marx resisted biting his lower lip. Fingers curled and dominant hand in a tense fist, he counted to ten before opening his mouth. 

For a moment, the advisor of the Wizard King failed to find his voice. It was a strange feeling, but it was one that was not unknown. 

“... Hage got attacked.”

The second hand clicked. 

“There are no reported survivors.”

Vanessa stared at him.

She stared at him, and then she turned her gaze to where Asta sat.

Asta was quiet. He was always quiet, and nested on his head was Nero. The bird was staring at Vanessa and Marx’ direction, its existence itself always so mysterious. Closing his eyes, Marx took a breath before turning away.

“I have to go. Please take as much time as you need… Owen will be back soon.”

Opening the door, he stepped out to leave. The Magic Knights’ mantle felt heavier than ever, and—

There was a murmur.

“That’s just too cruel,” he heard Vanessa say.

… Marx agreed.

A click sounded when the door closed behind him. 

It was just too cruel.

... Very soon, as the legendary statue of the First Wizard King watched over its people, the sun would sink behind the Demon Skull and it would become dark. The clouds that covered a portion of the Forsaken Realm would leave, and dead into the night, the sun would return once more. The dawn, like any other day, would arrive...

It was very much peaceful, the constant in this world. 

The golden dawn that began each day.


End file.
